Life After You | ✓

27

L I F E

A F T E R     Y O U

____________________

"B!" I shout, getting out of dad's car and speed-walking over to him.

"Hey Liv!" He smiles, opening his arms up for a hug.

"How goes it?" I ask.

"Oh, it's going." He lightly chuckles.

"Brian, please tell Olivia that you like me more. She seems to be delusional." Riley states while approaching us at Brian's front door.

Brian looks at me, and then back to Riley, debating on how to answer such a request.

"Brian, don't pay any attention to him. Please." My dad laughs, nearing the front door.

"Thank you." He blows out a breath he's been holding. "I didn't want to answer that wrong." He laughs.

"Hey! I want an answer though." Riley whines, putting his arm around Tori's shoulders.

"Riley, enough." My dad warns, causing Riley to drag Tori inside the house and away from our dad.

"So, Peter, how you likin' them Raiders?" Brian smirks to my dad, as they both walk inside and head for the living room with the huge flat screen TV.

"Oh man, they are doing great this year!" My dad smiles.

"Boring football." Tori mumbles while I chuckle.

I never really minded football. I used to laugh at how excited or frustrated Landon and Riley would get while watching a game. For the entire game, all you would hear were screams or cheers, no in between.

I went over to the kitchen to greet Barbara, as that's where she always is during the holidays. That woman loves to cook and bake! Her entire house smells so good, you almost want to eat it.

"Barbara!" I smiled, strolling into the kitchen and almost startling her.

"Oh, dear. You scared me!" She laughs, but immediately puts down the spoon in her hand to walk over and hug me.

"My, you are getting so big!" She gushes, while gently placing her hand over my belly. "I can't wait to meet him." She smiles.

"Me either." I smile down at my own belly. "How are you?" I ask.

"Fine, we went and saw some family yesterday, so today is all about you." She smiles.

"Well, don't I feel special." I grin, grabbing a chocolate chip cookie from the plate sitting before me on the counter.

"Do I smell cookies?" Riley suddenly says while appearing beside me as he grabs two cookies for himself.

"Don't spoil your dinner Riley." Barbara sighs, smirking as she takes the plate of cookies away before Tori can grab one.

With a frown, Tori looks over to Riley and snatches one of his cookies from his hand.

"Hey!" Riley glares.

"You snooze you lose, babe." Tori smiles while stuffing the cookie into her mouth.

"Man... my own girlfriend steals from me. Now I've seen it all." Riley sarcastically pouts with a shake of his head.

"I've missed all you kids." Barbara suddenly smiles, her eyes slowly beginning to water.

"Nope, no crying allowed Mrs. Cavalier!" Riley smiles while walking over to hug her. "Not on my watch!"