Who says you can't go home?
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August 4, 2014
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With the football season fast approaching, it was time for the Brady family to move back to Boston. Olivia loved living in New York and was going to miss living in the city, but she knew to keep her husband happy that her and Scout had to go back with him now.
"Say goodbye to our home Scout," Olivia said standing in the nearly empty living room that once held all of their belongings. They had movers trompsing through the condo moving all of their stuff out of it to take back to their Boston home.
"Bye home," Scout said waving playfully. She was sitting on Tom's much taller shoulders.
"I'm going to miss this place," Olivia said walking over to the window that looked down at the rest of the city for the last time. She crossed her arms over her chest. She thought about how lucky those people were, that they got to live in a city that she reluctantly had to leave.
"Liv, I know you are. We will back after football season," Tom said meeting his wife at the large windows. He moved Scout from his shoulders to rest in his arms. The couple had many arguments about where they lived. Olivia argued that it wasn't fair that she had to leave her job in New York so Tom could do his job. But eventually she decided that they were a family, and that she could do her job from anywhere, when Tom wasn't as lucky to have that option.
"Where are we going mommy?" Scout asked curiously in her usually raspy voice. She looked at Olivia admiringly.
"We are going back to Boston bugs," Olivia said smiling at her daughter, who was at eye level, and rubbing her nose against Scout's. Olivia and Tom's nickname for Scout was always bugs ever since she was born.
"By Uncle Jules?" Scout asked, her face lighting up as she said it.
"Yup. Uncle Jules will be there," Tom added.
"And Aunt Claire. Aunt Leah, Aunt Sarah, Uncle Rob, and Uncle Danny," Olivia finished by naming the rest of their friends.
"I miss them," Scout said holding her special blanket close to her face. It amazed Olivia that the blanket held such a strong meaning to Scout, even though she was so little.
"Me too. That's why we are going to see them," Tom said, shifting his eyes from Scout to Olivia to see her reaction. Olivia looked up at him with straight lips.
"Are we ready to go?" Olivia asked. She made one more trip through the condo to make sure they had everything, which they did. She always tried to look her best when they went out in public. She wore dark gray jogger pants with a white t shirt underneath a black blazer. Scout had on black leggings and a white short sleeve t shirt with a fur vest. Scout loved fashion like her mom and always had to accessorize. So she also had a small pink purse with pink sunglasses on. Tom's biceps bulged in a light gray t shirt and jeans.
Tom carried Scout out and held her close to his body. Olivia followed right behind him and they got in the Black Escalade, that had chauffeured them around the city through the whole offseason. Scout sat on the left, Olivia in the middle, and Tom on the right. Olivia rested her head in Tom's arm the ride to the airport. "Now Scout, no talking to the picture people," Olivia instructed. Scout had gotten in trouble a few times this offseason for talking to them. Olivia and Tom tried to explain that they were strangers, but the two year old didn't care, she had a mind of her own.
"Yes, mommy," Scout said shyly.
"If you don't talk to them, you can see Uncle Jules tonight," Tom added. Scout quickly turned from looking out the window to Tom with a wide smile on her face. She was going to see Uncle Jules either way because he was picking them up from the airport.
"Okay, daddy," Scout said. They finally arrived to the airport.
"Do you want me to take her or do you want me to carry her bag?" Olivia asked Tom before getting out of the car.
"I'll take her," Tom said. He kissed Olivia before getting out of the car.
Mrs. Brady can you confirm that you are expecting a child? Won't a baby be a distraction for the upcoming football season? Is it a boy or a girl? Is Scout excited to finally be a big sister?
They were relentless. Olivia wasn't even pregnant but they still kept hounding her.
Scout, anything you have to say?
Scout kept her lips tight and looked at Tom with wide eyes. Olivia lost it once they started talking to Scout though. She stopped walking and whipped her head around. "You know we let you guys take our pictures. We let you talk to us. But don't you dare talk to my kid. She is a little girl and doesn't need you guys hounding on her like you do to Tom and I," Olivia scolded them.
Mama bear is out.
"Come on Liv," Tom said placing a hand firmly on Olivia's back and ushering her through the airport. Olivia was shaking she was so mad.
"It's not right that they can just follow us around and take pictures of us and talk to our girl," Olivia said, her blood boiling over the encounter that just happened.
"You need to ignore them," Tom said softly trying to get through the airport without another misstep.
"Like you did? You didn't even stand up for me," Olivia said crossing her arms over her chest again.
"Can we do this later? I'm not going to fight with you in public," Tom said irritated. They finally got to their gate and boarded the plane. They got to their first class seats. Scout slept in Olivia's arms the whole plane ride back to Boston and Tom sat across from them. They both knew they wouldn't discuss the airport situation. That was how they were, they brushed all of their problems under the rug and pretended like they never happened.
"Are you still mad?" Tom asked. Olivia glanced up from her phone.
"No," She lied. She said it in a convincing voice that Tom could actually believe. He thought they were over it, maybe he was, but she wasn't. The plane ride was short, and landed cleanly. "Scout, baby we are here," Olivia said. She softly shook her daughter awake.
Tom took Scout from Olivia's arms and made his way off of the plane. "Daddy, can I walk?" Scout asked. Even though she just woke up from a nap she was full of energy. Tom looked to Olivia for an answer. Olivia nodded her head and Scout lowered his daughter for the ground. That was one thing that Olivia was looking forward to about Boston, was that there was no paparazzi and Scout was free to be herself.
Scout walked between Olivia and Tom, holding each of their hands. "Scout, mommy and daddy are very proud of you for not talking to the picture people," Olivia said ruffling her daughter's shoulder length hair. Tom looked up from where he was walking and up at Olivia. They traded smiles, signaling that Olivia was over it. They walked through the less crowded airport and got to the front.
Scout locked eyes with Julian right away and took off running towards him with open arms. Julian knelt down with a wide smile on his face. Scout reached him finally and Julian picked her up and enveloped her in a hug and spun her around. "There's my girl," Julian said. He stopped spinning but they each held on tightly to each other.
"Uncle Jules!" Scout squealed. Her head was nestled into the crook of his neck and her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck.
"She missed you," Olivia smiled once she finally caught up to them. Tom put his arm around Olivia.
"You were all she talked about this offseason," Tom agreed. Olivia and him had talked many times that Julian would be a good father one day. They also agreed that they were grateful that Scout had someone like him in her life.
"Did you miss me?" Julian asked prying Scout from his body to look into her icey blue eyes. Scout nodded and giggled. She cradled his face in her tiny hands and kissed his scruffy cheek. Tom moved from Olivia's side to load their stuff into Julian's SUV. Julian gladly buckled Scout into her carseat and drove the Brady's home.
"Tell Uncle Jules buh-bye," Olivia said as Julian pulled up to the house.
"No, I don't want to leave Uncle Jules," Scout whined.
"Come on Scout. Uncle Jules and everyone else are going to come over tonight for a cookout," Tom said picking his daughter out of the car. HEaring that made Scout get out of the car with Tom.
"Bye Uncle Jules," Scout said. She blew him a kiss through the car window. Tom and Olivia each said thank you for the ride. Julian drove of quickly and left the Brady's. Tom and Olivia each stood staring at the front of their large house. They were finally home.
Home. Sweet. Home