Chapter 319

Olivia

I opened my eyes to the warm morning light streaming through the curtains. I felt the bed beside me—empty.

Nathan was already up. A quick glance at the clock told me it was barely past six in the morning. I sighed, still half-embedded in the sweet cocoon of sleep, and sat up. The scent of freshly brewed coffee wafted into the room, instantly pulling me toward full wakefulness.

I slipped out of bed and followed the aroma, finding Nathan in the other room, a suitcase open on the couch. Already, despite the early hour, he was fully dressed and methodically packing. He looked up and smiled as I walked in, the expression reaching his tired eyes.

“Good morning, beautiful.”

“Morning,” I replied, padding over to him. “You’re up early. Everything okay?”

He nodded, but his eyes told me otherwise. “Yeah, just wanted to get a head start on the day.”

I noticed the bottle of wine from last night, still untouched, still sealed. I felt a knot form in my stomach but pushed it aside. “Alright, let’s get this show on the road, then.”

…

A couple of hours later, we were on the road and headed back toward our town, leaving the city behind. Nathan had been mostly silent for most of the trip, his hands gripping the steering wheel a bit too tightly.

I could sense the tension emanating off of him, but at the same time, I wasn’t sure how to address it without adding to his obvious stress.

But then, as we rounded a bend, I spotted a sign for a farmer’s market up ahead.

The vivid colors of fresh produce and handmade crafts peeked out from little tents and tables, like fragments of a simpler, happier world. I instantly felt my heart leap as I imagined picking up fresh fruits and vegetables, gifts, and something for the twins.

“Nathan, can we stop for a bit? Look, a farmer’s market!” I exclaimed, pointing.

He sighed, almost as though he was about to refuse for the sake of getting home quickly, but his eyes softened as he looked over at me. “Sure, why not.”

We pulled into the makeshift parking area, gravel crunching under the tires. As soon as we stepped out of the car, the vibrant energy of the market washed over us. I felt Nathan relax a little, his shoulders dropping as he took in the scene.

“I’ll grab a basket,” he said, heading toward a stack of wooden baskets.

Over the next hour, we meandered through the aisles, filling our basket with fresh fruits, vegetables, and handmade treats to bring home for Clint and Angela and all of our other friends. I even found a little jar of honey that was sure to be a hit with the twins, who hadn’t tasted honey since that day we took them to poke the honeycombs.

While Nathan was talking to one of the vendors about local beeswax candles, I found myself absorbed by a table filled with handmade children’s toys and clothing. My fingers brushed over tiny knitted booties and soft, colorful blankets. When I saw a little knit hat adorned with bear ears, I couldn't resist picking it up.

“Look,” I said, glancing up as I sensed Nathan’s form approaching. “Isn’t this precious?”

Nathan paused for a moment and took the hat in his hands. “We’d need to get two. Maybe not an exact match, but both of the twins should have—”

“Not for them,” I said, shaking my head. “For Layla’s son.”

Nathan shot me a confused look. “You really want to get something for Layla’s son?”

I looked up, surprised by his question.”What do you mean? Shouldn’t I?”

“I mean, it’s really sweet of you, but you don't have to feel obligated, Liv,” he said. “I know the situation is… complicated.”

I set the little hat back down and turned to face him. “I don’t feel obligated, Nate. Look, regardless of whether or not the child turns out to be biologically yours, Layla is a mom, just like me. I can’t even begin to imagine how she must be feeling, going through all of this uncertainty alone.”

Nathan looked at me, eyes searching for something before finally settling into a look of softness. “You’re incredible, you know that?”

I felt myself blush but continued. “Remember when Layla told me that she’s never had an easy time making female friends? I want to change that, even if it’s just a small gesture. Women should support each other, especially during times like this.”

Nathan pulled me closer, looping his arm around my waist. “That’s really sweet, Liv. You know, you’re never obligated to make friends with my ex. But the fact that you’re so open to the idea, it just makes me admire you even more.”

I felt my heart swell at his words. “Well, I admire you for being so understanding about my need to extend a hand of friendship. So, should we get the hat or do you see something else that might be good?”

Nathan looked down at the display and his eyes caught a small wooden toy truck, its paint vibrant and inviting. “How about this? A little toy for a little guy, plus the hat.”

I grinned. “Perfect.”

As Nathan paid for the items, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of peace settle over me. Things were far from uncomplicated in our lives right now, but this simple act of buying a gift for Layla’s son felt right. I was reminded that, even in complex situations, kindness had a way of simplifying things, if only just a little.

As we packed up our purchases into the back of the car, I felt the weight of the morning’s tension lift off my shoulders. It was then that Nathan suddenly pulled me into a hug, his arms wrapping around me securely, as if he could shield me from all the dangers of the world.

Slightly surprised by his sudden affection, I looked up to meet his gaze. His arms were warm and comforting, and the scent of grapefruit salt overwhelmed me, filling me with a sense of home.

“Thank you,” he whispered, his lips brushing against my ear.

“For what?” I asked, pulling back to look into his eyes.

“For this moment. For the normalcy. I needed it.”

I squeezed his hand, my heart swelling. “Me too.”

…

We made it back home without any more unscheduled stops, both of us carrying bags of fresh produce and goodies into the house. Angela greeted us at the door, assuring us that everything had been fine while we were away. I felt a wave of relief wash over me once I saw the twins, safe in their playpen on the living room floor.

“Olivia! Thank you!” Angela exclaimed upon receiving her gift: a box of handmade chocolates. She grinned, popping on into her mouth immediately. Her eyes practically rolled back in ecstasy. “Oh my god. There are good.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “It’s the least we could do,” I said as I scooped Elliot up off of the floor, his tiny hands grabbing my necklace as he cooed in excitement.

As we started to unpack the fruits and veggies, Nathan grabbed the pile of envelopes and started sifting through them. Bills, junk mail, a couple of magazines—nothing unusual.

But then, he paused. He held an envelope in his hand, his fingers gripping it a little too tightly.

My eyes met his. The return address was from the medical center. It was here—the paternity test results.