Olivia gave a big sigh as she sat on a picnic blanket by the river. "Olivia do you not know that all your happiness will away if you keep sighing like that?" Clementina said as she was busy putting food on a plate. "Nana Tina." Olivia giggled as she took the plate of from Clementina. "My happiness is with the two of you... and your food!"
Clementina blushed as she pinched Olivia's cheek "You brat who taught you to be such a smooth talker!" she said angrily but couldn't hide the tiny smile from Olivia. "Blame Papi Bernie! He told me all your weakness!" she shouted as she pointed an accusing finger at Bernard.
Bernard froze with his fork full of food mid air. His eyes darted back and forth between the women and sweat started to roll down his face. His wife Clementina was staring him down while Olivia pitifully rubbed her pinched cheek. He quickly shoved the food in his mouth and shrugged "My wuv Id no ida wat te tating abut." he said with a mouth full of food.
Clementina watched her husband chew his food slowly, then swallow before she gave him a good smack across the back of the head. Olivia started laughing at her Papi Bernie until she got a good smack across the back of her head "Respect your elders Olivia!" her Nana Tina shouted, while Papi Bernie and Olivia looked at each other with matching grins as the rubbed the back of their heads.
Olivia's time with Dr. Bernard and his wife Clementina was nothing short of magical. It took some time for her to start to trust them both but she was able to reveal her name and the event of her assassination attempt. She purposely left out why she was alone, the assassin's name and who wanted her dead but they never asked her for more information.
They accepted what they were told as the truth and opened their hearts and lives to her. It didn't take long for her to start feeling like they were an actual family and spent the last 7 weeks enjoying herself as an adopted grand-daughter and medical assistant in training.
The picnic was over and they made their way back to the house. "Nana Tina can I help you make dinner tonight?" she asked excitedly. Nana Tina started to laugh merrily "Child we just had lunch where do you put all that food!" Olivia puffed up her cheeks as she brought her hands behind her back. "Nana Tina I'm a growing girl! My metabolism is strong but I do have some meat on me!"
Nana Tina's coffee colored eyes sparkled as she looked at Olivia "Well if we do a really elaborate dinner we can start once we get home." she said happily. Olivia gave her a wide grin before she happily jumped into the air.
"Well that's odd..." Papi Bernie said as the kept walking forward. Olivia stopped jumping and looked at his face in curiosity. "What's odd Papi Bernie?" Papi Bernie pointed towards the clinic. "I was sure I posted a sign saying we were on holiday today but there seems to be a fellow slumped against the door." Olivia looked towards the clinic and seen that there was someone sitting on the ground, head hung low as his body was pressed against the door.
"Papi Bernie I will run ahead and see if he's ok." she gave her Papi and Nana a kiss on the cheek, put her hand on her sun hat and ran as fast as she could towards the person.
"Hey are you ok? Help is coming so please hold on a little bit longer." she said hurriedly as she reached the man sitting on the ground. She bent over a little bit, placed her hand on his shoulder and shook him a little to see if he was still responsive.
Suddenly a hand shot up and grabbed her wrist. Olivia tried to pull her wrist free but the man refused to let go. He brought his face up slowly and all Olivia could see were jade green eyes before she slapped the sh*t out of him. "LET ME GO!" She yelled at the top of her lungs as she struggled to get free.
The elderly couple heard her screams and rushed as fast as they could towards her. They stopped in their tracks as they watched the man grabbed Olivia and kissed her before he dropped to his knees. He grabbed her waist and shoved his face into her abdomen "I finally found you." he cried as Olivia seemed to wake up from the shock.
Olivia started to tear up and started to pet the young man's head. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry!" she cried. Papi Bernie walked up to the two and wrapped an arm around Olivia's shoulder. She looked up into his hazel eyes and she chocked back her words while Nana Tina tried to help the young man off the ground.
Olivia wiped her tears and gave the elders a bitter sweet smile. "Papi Bernie, Nana Tina please let me introduce you to my finance... Eli Delmira." Eli wiped the tears from his face and grabbed Olivia's hand. He tried to stand tall as he looked the elders. "Eli this is Dr. Bernard and his wife Clementina... they saved my life and have been keeping me safe this whole time."
Eli nodded at Olivia and bowed deeply to the elders "Thank you for keeping my love safe... I can never repay you for what you have done." he said courtly. Clementina started to fuss over Eli telling him he didn't have to bow so deeply while Bernard carefully looked over Eli. His gaze turned cold and usual carefree smiling face was no longer visible.
"Please come in! Olivia probably has lots to ask you and we would love for you to stay for supper." Nana Tine said as she grabbed Eli's arm. "No!" Papi Bernie commanded as he stood tall. Olivia looked at Bernard as if he was a different person than her beloved Papi Bernie. His eyes were narrowed, his jaw was clenched and his hands were behind his back while his whole aura commanded complete obedience. It caused Olivia to tremble slightly and take a step back.
Eli sensed her fear and stepped in front of her and stared at Bernard with absolute defiance. "If I am not welcomed then please say so but do not try to pressure Olivia into staying here without me!" he stated as he gave a stoic face. Olivia gulped and embraced Eli from behind.
The sensation shocked Eli and his face instantly turned into a loving one as he looked down at the arms wrapped around his abdomen. His own hand cautiously touched her skin confirming her warmth before he laid his own arm over top of hers and gave a sigh of relief.
"Papi Bernie!" she shouted from Eli's shoulder blades "Eli is not a bad person, he looks shady right now but he usually looks a lot healthier, fuller and is strong spirited! Nana Tina probably realized he needed a good meal and asked him to come in. Please don't chase him away!" she shouted with all her might.
Bernard sighed as he allowed his commanding aura to dissipate. Nana Tina was silently watching and decided to speak up. "Bernard do you think I could be fooled so easily..." she said evenly and watched Papi Bernard break out into a full body sweat. He cautiously turned to face his wife while Olivia peeked at them from behind Eli's back.
"One look and you can tell how much this poor boy has been suffering yet the instant he saw our Olivia he cried! What man cries?! I'll tell you! A man in love! You fool, I swear your becoming senile with your old age not realizing that he is not here to hurt her!" she yelled at him while Papi Bernie shrank with every word.
"Clementina... I was only looking out for our Olivia's best interests!" he rebutted but Clementina did not let him have his way. She stepped closer to him until she was toe to toe with him and looked him right in the eyes. She raised her hand and flicked his forehead. "Moron! That is no excuse! You are just afraid that she will be taken away from us!" she shouted.
Eli and Olivia stared at the couple dumbfounded. Papi Bernie coughed as he turned bright red. Olivia stepped out from behind Eli and ran up to the elders, threw her arms in the air and embracing them on impact. "I can't leave you! I won't let you cut me off and never see you again! I can't live without the two of you in my life anymore!" she cried. Nana Tina kissed her forehead while Papi Bernie decided to look up at the sky with trembling lips.
"Well enough of this! Time to go inside and talk with Eli!" Nana Tina shouted as she broke up the love fest. "In, in, in." she said as she ushered everyone next door into their bungalow style home that was was attached to the clinic.
The air was tense and awkward as the four of them sat in the living room while tea was placed in front of them. Nana Tina's intuition about Eli was correct he needed a good meal and greedily ate everything she offered him. Everyone sipped their tea as they watched him eat until he was full.
Nana Tina cleared the coffee table, once he was done. She looked at Eli "Child go take a shower and get yourself cleaned up! Bernard will leave you some clothes and a razor. Once your done we'll talk. Go on now!" she ordered Olivia gave a sigh and looked at Eli before grabbing his hand and showing him where the bathroom was.
"Olivia don't loiter around him too long your helping me with dinner!" she shouted at them as they left. Olivia cringed and looked at Eli "It's best to listen to her. One thing I learned is she's always right." she said pitifully. Eli squeezed her hand and looked at her affectionately "I will do anything they want if it means we can be together." he whispered.