The Stranger / Chris Evans x OC

Chapter 86: Handprints

AMELIA

I keep my eyes on Chris and Benji as they chase each other around the garden, and I chuckle occasionally when I hear Chris shouting cheater! at the dog. 

But then my attention is drawn elsewhere when I feel a small hand making its way into my own. 

I glance down and am immediately met with the smiling face of my niece. She tugs on my arm hesitantly as she looks up at me and says, "Come on Auntie, I have to show you my new teddy bear!" 

I chuckle and nod, "Right, of course. Sorry peanut. Let's go look at it." 

Olivia pulls on my arm, directing me towards the terrace door to go inside the house, and before we walk fully inside I glance over my shoulder, directing my words to Sheila, "Hey, will you let him know I'm inside?" 

"Sure thing," Sheila replies with a smile, "I'll tell him." 

I glance back at the garden, watching how Chris practically tackles the large dog, and then I chuckle as I look back at Sheila, "He probably won't even notice that I'm gone, but just in case." 

I hear her laughing at my words as Olivia drags me the rest of the way inside. 

We walk into the large house and she's taking small, but quick steps as she guides me to her room. 

"I already gave him a spot with the others!" She chirps happily, and I do my best to keep up as she pulls me along. 

Once we reach her room, she releases my hand and quickly runs inside, and I glance around as I follow her. 

"I love what you did with the place," I say with a chuckle as I glance around the room. The walls are painted lilac, and every single piece of furniture is either pink or purple. She has toys scattered on practically every surface, and a small round table with tea cups set on it, five small chairs around it. 

The room is basically the same as the last time I was here, but some of her furniture has been moved around, and I can tell she's gotten a larger bed. 

"Thank you!" She smiles widely, "I got a big-girl bed now so we had to move the dresser around, but the tea parties are still being held in the middle of the room!"

I nod and chuckle again, walking closer as I look around on the walls. She has pictures hung up of princesses and ponies, and at the end of the wall, closest to the window, I notice the different sized hand prints placed there. 

I remember when we did those, it was right when they first moved into the house. Olivia was around one year old, but already obsessed with purple, and so we quickly decided what the color of her room should be. My entire family came to help, and at the end of the day, Laura and Will asked us all to leave our handprints on the wall in orange paint. 

I walk up to the wall, placing my hand on top of the print that belongs to me, quietly mumbling, "Hm. Still fits." 

"Auntie!"

I turn around and look at Olivia with a smile, "Yes, peanut?" 

"Tea party! Now!" She says happily, running up to me to grab my hand before pulling me to sit down at the small table. 

"Alright, alright," I say with a chuckle as I place myself on the floor by the table, "Let's have a tea party." 

"Good," she says, sitting down in the empty chair before pointing to a teddy bear, "This is Teddy, the newest addition. Teddy, this is Auntie Ames." 

I reach over and take the bears paw in my hand, giving it a short shake, "Nice to meet you, Teddy." 

"And you know everyone else already, right?" She asks as she looks around the table. 

I smile and nod, saying hello to each of the remaining three plushies sitting in the small chairs. There's Eleanor the Elephant, Ollie the Otter and Charlie the Chimpanzee. 

"Hi everyone, nice to see you again," I say with a smile as I greet them. 

"They've missed you," she says as she grabs her teapot, pouring invisible tea into my cup, "They were all just as excited as me when dad told me you were coming."

"Were they?" I ask, taking a fake sip of my cup, "Well thats very nice. I was excited, too. Happy to be back." 

"And," Olivia says as she glances around at her plushies, "Auntie Ames brought a boy today! She's never brought a boy to any of my birthday parties before!" 

I nod, looking around at the inanimate objects with a smile, "Yes, I did. My boyfriend." 

Olivia leans closer to Teddy sitting next to her, putting her ear to his smiling mouth, and then she nods, "Yes yes, good question Teddy." Then she looks at me, "Teddy wants to know if you love him." 

I chuckle again as I nod, "Yes, I do. Very much." 

"Really?" Olivia asks, tilting her head slightly, "You mean like I love mom and dad?" 

I smile and shake my head, "No sweetie, this is a different kind of love. It feels different." 

Olivia frowns as she blinks a few times, "What does it feel like?"

I furrow my brows as I think for a moment before taking her hand, "Well, you know how you feel safe and happy when you think of mom and dad?" 

Olivia nods dutifully.

"Okay, so, it's the same in that way, being around Chris makes me feel safe and happy," I let my fingers trail over the top of her hand, touching her comfortingly to show what I mean. Then I turn her palm over, letting my fingertips move over her palm until she giggles, "But then there's also this other feeling on top. And it feels kind of like being tickled. It makes you feel happy, and giddy, and excited but also sometimes a little scared. Kind of like going on a rollercoaster." 

Olivia keeps giggling until I stop tickling her palm, looking up at me with her big, round eyes as she asks, "Have you ever loved anyone like that before, Auntie?" 

I quickly shake my head, "No peanut, I haven't. He's very special." 

She smiles widely and I take another fake sip of my tea as she quickly glances behind me, before she leans closer to Teddy again, nodding before she says, "What, Teddy? Oh, okay, I'll ask." 

Then she directs her question at me again, "Teddy wants to know if your boyfriend wants to join us for the tea party?"

I smile, shrugging, "Sure, we can go ask-"

"I would love to." 

I hear a familiar voice behind me, making me glance over my shoulder at the sound. 

Chris is leaning against the door frame, his arms folded across his chest as he watches both of us with a fond smile. 

"How long have you been lurking there?" I ask him with a raised brow. 

"Long enough to hear all the good stuff," he chuckles as he walks into the room. 

"There's a spot for you right here!" Olivia excitedly says as she points to the space between her and I. 

"Oh really?" I say as I look at her, "You'd rather sit next to Chris than me, is that how it is?" 

"Yes," Olivia replies proudly, pouring an invisible cup of tea for Chris, "He's new and you should always be nice to new people." 

I nod and chuckle, "Okay, you got me there. That's very sweet, peanut." 

"And!" She quickly adds with a giggle, "He's pretty and if I sit next to him I can dress him up as a princess!" 

✦✧✦✧

Liked this chapter? Please remember to vote and comment! ♡