Discovery Devotion Destiny

Worth a Thousand Words

"Fear warps our understanding of reality

and even our ability to see reality clearly."

-Victor LaValle

Oliver thinks he should worry. He stands at the end of the hall of the second level of their house staring at their bedroom door. His wife was on the other side, and he barely saw her. One week since they stepped foot into the house. He actually held his breath when she walked inside now able to see what she didn't see in the house in Coast City. Pictures of them together. Pictures of herself. He watched her face, watched the dip and rise of her brows as she studied each picture she passed. The last picture she looked at was his favorite. It was a picture from their second wedding. They were standing outside, a fussy Robyn in her arms flailing about as they both look down to her in amusement. That picture held her longer than the others. After a few moments, she turned to him and said she was going to go up to her room. She quickly retreated and he followed, only to find her standing in the middle of Ari's room. That's when he told her that their room was further down the hall. She didn't say anything as she gave a nod and walked into the room closing the door behind her.

Today as he stands at the end of that hall, he wonders if he should go to her. She wanted to come back so he could show her where they started, and yet she still hasn't come out of that room. He or Thea brings her up food, that she takes, but she never leaves the room and now he's just worried.

"Ollie?" Oliver turned at the sight of his sister who was coming up the stairs. She glanced down the hall to the door and sighed. "Still haven't worked up the courage to ask her?"

"Maybe it's too soon." He turned back to the bedroom door. "There's going to be a lot of people at this Gala—"

"Ollie, you've already confirmed your attendance, and if you ever want to come to some sort of agreement about the ACI."

"I get that, which is why I will be there, I just don't-" Oliver turned to his sister. "There will be a lot of people there, a lot of press, and I'm not sure if she will be comfortable with that." Thea looked at him for a moment with narrowed eyes. "What?"

"Ollie, are you nervous about asking your wife out on date?" Oliver rolled his eyes, before glancing over to that door once more. He shook his head before turning and heading to the nursery instead. "You are, aren't you?" Thea followed him, smiling at the sight of her niece who was awake and bouncing up and down in her crib.

"Dah da da da," the girl repeated as she continued to bounce. Oliver scooped the baby into his arms, pressing kisses to her cheek and neck causing breathless giggles as he brings her to the changing table.

"Can you say Thee-ah?" Thea says from beside her brother. Oliver looks over to his sister and just shakes his head. Robyn's vocabulary hasn't expanded beyond Da da or Ree Ree and the occasional hi and bye. The rest is incoherent baby babble and what they think might be animal sounds she learned in day care, but it hasn't stopped his sister from trying to change that. "C'mon, it's really easy, say Thee-ahhh." Robyn decides to spit bubbles instead, and Oliver can't help but to laugh.

"I think that's her way of saying, give it up auntie Thea." Oliver says before going about changing her diaper.

"Why are you nervous about asking Twinkie out on a date?" Thea asked and Oliver huffed as he tossed the dirty diaper into the bin and grabbed a wipe.

"Because this wouldn't be a date. Our next date won't be at some police gala." he grabbed a fresh diaper and sealed it around the baby before picking her up in his arms. "Like I said, there's going to be a lot of press there, and I don't want cameras jammed in her face." Oliver carried the child out of the room down the hall before knocking on Ari's door. "Are you up?!"