Sorry | Spencer Reid Fanfic

Chapter 24

Olivia arrived at the gate of her father's house. Security came up to the window and immediately recognised her.

"Miss Olivia. Professor Mann said that you would be visiting." The security buzzed open the gate for her. She smiled back, she hadn't told her father she was coming, and drove through the gate.

She pulled up in front of the house and her father was already opening the front door.

They embraced silently. "Come on honey. Dinner on the patio." Her father loosened his hug and walked her into the house with one hand around her.

Olivia sat adjacent to her father.

"Olivia, I'm is glad you could make time and came in the holidays. Your father misses you?" Her stepmother, chatted to Olivia, dishing dumplings into Olivia's plate. "Can you tell your father he is working too hard? That university is draining him." Olivia laughed at Camilla. She may not be her real mother, but she had always treated Olivia with kindness, ever since she first met her when Olivia was eleven.

"Ahh, Camilla, no point telling her. Like father like daughter. She has been working to hard too." Her father pointed out.

"Really?" Camilla peered at Olivia. "There is something different Livi. But to me you look more radiant."

"Ha," Olivia choked on her laugh. "Probably because it's dark out here."

"No, no," Camilla insisted. "How is that genius of yours?"

"He's fine." Olivia pushed her food around on her plate.

"It's been quite a while since the two of you came out to New York together."

"Well, he works a lot too," Olivia justified.

"I remember when you were young. You used to talk about living in New York your whole life. You couldn't imagine leaving. And then you met Spencer. And all of a sudden you didn't care anymore. I was so worried when you first started spending less and less time in New York. But when I saw you and Spencer together for the first time. That all went away." Camilla was becoming emotional. "Now you are hardly here." Camilla patted her eye. "Ahh... look at me getting emotional for no reason. I'm going to get dessert for us." Camilla quickly left the table.

Olivia's father watched Camilla walk away, waiting for her to be out of ear shot. "Olivia. Don't give up? You can stay here as long as you want" Olivia furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. She straightened her face as she heard Camilla shoes clicking towards them.

"I'm going to pass, if that's okay. I'm just a bit tired." Olivia rose from her chair.

"But key lime pie is one of your favourites." Camilla face fell in surprise.

"It was a long drive here," Olivia reasoned. She leaned in a kissed her father and Camilla's cheeks. Then she disappeared into the house and up the stairs to her room.

She breathed in the familiar scent of her bedroom. She slumped onto the bed. She spent so many holidays in this bedroom growing up. Olivia showered and changed into her pyjamas. Then she opened the balcony doors and settled onto the couch, with her files.

She is lost staring at her files, when a soft knock startles her.

"Can I come?" Her father calls through a small crack in the door.

"Yeah dad, come in." Professor Mann walks into the room and spots Olivia out on the balcony.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you." He points to her files. "I don't want to be the reason you miss some evidence," he joked.

"It's okay dad. I'm not paying all that much attention to them anyway." She flipped the file closed.

"Olivia, will you tell me what's bothering you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Olivia, don't try that with me."

Olivia sighed. "Was it hard?"

"Was what hard?"

"Being a single parent. Taking care of me. Being solely responsible for me for the rest of your life. Being my mom, my dad, my nanny, my cook, my cleaner, my teacher and my friend, all wrapped up in one person."

"Olivia." He tried to act stern.

"Daddy." She reciprocated.

Her father gave in and replied. "Look, I can't lie it was hard. But it was worth it. Look at you. My daughter is one of the most sought-after attorneys. And most important, she is a wonderful human."

"Did you ever wish that you didn't have to do it alone?"

"It isn't what I would choose, Olivia. I wished I could go back and change the catalyst; I would have done it if I could. But not now. Because I know that we both did just fine. We didn't need her Olivia. We didn't need your mother. We didn't need someone who didn't want us."

Olivia nodded in agreement. "Do you think I would be a good mother?"

"I know you would Olivia. If that's what you wanted. Is that what you want?" Her father' question was slow and deliberate.

Olivia blinked rapidly but did not respond.

"You and Spencer, are you guys thinking about it?"

She shrugged looking at her hands. "What if I'm like her?" She whispered.

"You're not Olivia. You are so much more. You are kind and compassionate and caring. You make people around you smile. You are 100 times the person she was."

"What if that isn't enough?"

"Hey. Stop. You are enough. You are more than enough."

"There will always be someone in the world, who I'm not enough for."

"Well, if that is the case, you shouldn't let those people into your life."

"What if they are already in it."

"Let them go," he plainly stated.

"Easier said than done." Olivia pursed her lips.

"Sometimes you have to make hard decisions and hope things will get better." Her dad got up. "Olivia, get some rest. Things might be clearer in the morning."

She got up and hugged her father goodnight. He kissed her forehead and left her alone in her room.

Olivia was curled up in the bed, but her mind was racing at 100 miles per hour.