Finding Love Again

Chapter 28

Ever since Steve had decided to propose to Sharon, the months flew by for him. He knew he needed to let Livy know of his decision and get her opinion on having Sharon as a mother. Now, it was mid-October, and he still hadn't told her. Christmas was about two months away, but he didn't want to wait until the last minute to tell Livy. He knew he needed to do it soon, so he decided to do it on a Friday afternoon after her ballet class was over. The whole week leading up to the day he was going to tell her, Steve had been preparing how he would break it to her. Before he knew it, it was Friday. All day at work he couldn't concentrate on his projects, instead, focusing on his speech. The time seemed to go by slow yet fast at the same time. When he was driving Livy from school to ballet, she was ranting on about the new things she learned and what her friends had done that day. The hour of the ballet class went far too quickly for Steve, and he soon was on his way home with Livy.

He had every intention of telling her once they got home, but he decided to stall a little longer. Eventually, dinner time came around, and he still hadn't told her. Once their dinner was over and he had put all the dishes in the dishwasher, he went to Livy's playroom knowing she would be in there. He entered and saw Livy playing with her Shopkins that she had received on her birthday. He stood leaning against the door observing her for a little while. Finally, he decided he couldn't wait any longer. "Princess, can you stop playing for a little bit? I need to talk to you."

Livy looked up. "Yes, Daddy." She put the toy she had in her hand on the floor as Steve walked in and sat beside her on the carpet.

"What do you think about Miss Sharon?" he asked.

Livy shrugged her shoulders. "She's ok."

"Just ok?"

Livy nodded.

Steve frowned a little at that. "Do you like spending time with her?"

"I like it when she buys me stuff," Livy innocently answered.

It didn't exactly answer his question, but it would have to suffice for now. Livy had turned away from him and started playing again since she didn't want to talk about Sharon. "Livy, I need you to look at me. I need to tell you something, and I want to know if you're ok with it."

That certainly caught Livy's attention, and she once again looked back at him. "What is it, Daddy?"

"On Christmas, I'm planning on proposing to Miss Sharon. Do you know what that means?"

Livy shook her head.

"It means, I'm going to ask her to marry me, and if she says yes, she'll be your new mother."

When she heard that, Livy turned away to hide her scowl.

"Livy, I need to know what you think about that."

She turned around, scowl still on her face. "I don't want her to be my mother," she said as she crossed her arms.

That was a curveball for Steve. He hadn't been expecting that statement. He had pictured her squealing with joy, but this reaction was quite the opposite. "Why is that?"

"I don't wike her! She's mean! She doesn't pay attention to me!" she yelled.

"Young lady, don't you talk to me like that, and stop lying. All she's been is nice to you. I've always seen her paying attention to you," Steve sternly said.

"That's when you're around! She treats me differently when we're by ourselves!"

"Livy, that's nonsense!"

Livy's scowl got deeper. "I don't want her to be my mother! I don't want you to marry her! I don't want her to live here!"

That set the fuse for Steve. "Olivia Margaret Rogers! What has gotten into you? That is no way to talk to me! And you have no right to tell me what to do!"