GL - A FEW DAYS AWAY - Chapter 7
TITLE: A Few Days Away
FANDOM: Guiding Light
PAIRING: Otalia
SUMMARY: Set mid-friendship, this is a hurt/comfort piece as I'm a hurt/comfort junkie. Olivia, Natalia and Emma decide to have a few days away...hopefully more interesting than the summary suggests. Please request before archiving.
RATING: PG for mild violence
Author's note: This is my first ever attempt at fanfic so I'm having to gather a lot of nerve to post it. With very deep thanks to my Canadian Buddy, Critic2000, who beta'd and prodded for this story to see a conclusion and provided insightful and useful comments throughout. I know most of Europe loves her for providing us with Otalia clips as soon as possible but to me, she's my very dear friend. (Course, the clips help ;o))
ADDITIONAL NOTE: As always, appreciating the comments and glad to know someone's out there and hopefully enjoying it. I have stated it's a hurt/comfort piece and it will remain in that vein throughout - you have been warned ;o)
DISCLAIMERS: I do not own Guiding Light or any of the characters
Let the h/c continue...
Chapter 7
Sat back at the kitchen table sipping coffee, Olivia’s groan was one of satisfaction. “I needed that.” She looked out the window and back at Natalia, “Don’t you just love how that daughter of mine can be here one minute and gone the next?”
“Well, you still want to head up to that village today don’t you? I’m sure Emma would’ve been bored.”
“Hmm, you’re probably right, wouldn’t hurt to pick up a couple of supplies.” Olivia pulled back the shoulder of her nightshirt and attempted to peel back the bandage to take a look. A hand lightly smacked hers away as Natalia admonished, “Leave that alone.”
“What? I just wanted to take a look.” Olivia pouted.
“It’s best if you leave it as it is. Have you had enough for breakfast?”
“Yeah, sure. Thanks.”
“You haven’t really had a lot.” Natalia was studying her again.
“I’m just not that hungry.” Olivia didn’t know why she was getting defensive, she just felt a little ‘off’ in all honesty but she’d caused enough worry as it was and they actually had some sort of plan today so she wasn’t going to be the one to scupper it.
“Really, I’m sure after we’ve been out and I’ve had some fresh air, I’ll be eating like there’s no tomorrow.” She brightened as a possibility hit her, “We could get some snacks,” she grinned.
“Uh huh, you and your snacks.”
“I think you underestimate the goodness of snacks.” She watched as Natalia began to clear away the breakfast things and began to get up to help.
“No, no, you stay there or go get ready or something. I’ll do these,” she shooed Olivia away.
“I’m not helpless you know.”
“I know but...I’m kinda enjoying myself here.” It was true, Olivia could see just by looking at her that the woman was totally in her element and frankly, if it meant not having to do chores, Olivia was not going to complain.
“In that case I’m going to go get ready. I have a feeling it may take me a little longer than usual anyway.”
“Do you want some help?”
“Um, no I don’t think so. If I get stuck...” she made the universal hand gesture for making a call, grinned and left the room.
***
“Okay, I can do this,” Olivia assured herself as she began the painful process of attempting to put a blouse on. She was going to wear a t-shirt originally and then gave up when she realised, having gone through the torture of removing the nightshirt, that however she attempted to put it on, it meant twisting herself in ways she’d presently rather not.
After a quick shower, she was hopeful she was going to feel more ‘with it’ but there was something that still didn’t feel right to her. Maybe I’m just bent outta shape by that river ride yesterday. Oh look at me, starting to lighten up on the whole thing. Yay me.
She was still pondering the progress she’d made and trying to determine what was niggling her when Natalia entered the room.
“Hi, you ready to go?” Natalia as ever looked dimpled and perky.
“Ah hah, as ready as I’ll ever be, I’ll, uh...I’ll go wait in the lounge.”
“’kay, I’ll be out in a bit.”
Olivia grabbed the rest of her things and went to wait.
***
The journey into the village took nearly half an hour, mainly spent listening to the radio as it belted out classic 80’s tracks and advised of various deals to be had at many major outlets and small holdings. The village itself was small and was serviced by, what appeared to be, one gas station that had branched into a mini-mart-cum-one-stop for everything.
Looking at each other warily with regards their surroundings, Olivia found herself relieved that Emma had managed to obtain a playmate for the day.
“You’re sure this is the only place?” Olivia inquired.
“Unless you want to travel a lot further on, then yes.”
“How much further?”
“Oh come on, it’s not that bad.” Natalia unbuckled her seatbelt.
“Uh huh, sure, fine.”
They both climbed out of the car and entered the shop, a small bell ‘tinging’ as they passed through the door. Olivia made a bee-line for the various snacks while Natalia headed for the pharmacy area to find a suitable wrap, some icepacks and other various items to replenish some of the first aid kit supplies.
“And what do we have here then?” a man’s voice, close to Natalia’s ear. She could feel her ear burn and wondered if the heat of his breath was proportional to the smell.
She turned and backed away, glaring at him for startling her. It was then she noticed the young man was not alone and had a couple of friends with him.
“Can I help you with something?” she queried. Her heart was beating rapidly and she wondered if this was how Olivia had felt.
“Well now, that depends,” he attempted to grin in what to him was probably meant to be a charming way but to Natalia appeared lascivious. He turned back to look at his friends as their mere presence egged him on. He leant forward, bracing himself on one arm and effectively trapping Natalia against the shelving.
“Natalia? Did you see where they...” Olivia rounded the corner of the fixture and walked into the developing situation. Within seconds, she’d sized up what was going on. She saw the fear in Natalia’s eyes, the arrogance in the mans and feeling her adrenaline surge and spike, she moved further forward putting herself between Natalia and the young and obviously foolish hick
“Do we have a problem boys?” her eyebrow was in full arch at the question.
It was a ploy that normally would have worked but Olivia hadn’t taken into account quite how stupid this particular young man was and how dependent he was on the approval and loyalty of his ‘friends’.
Feeling how the situation was slipping from his control, as this new woman appeared to have a lot more fire than his earlier prey and wanting to save face, he reacted in an almost childlike manner and pushed Olivia with enough force that she fell backwards into the pharmacy shelves.
Boxes of creams, pastes and pills were flying in all directions, a cacophony of sound erupted accompanied by Natalia’s startled scream, the yell of the young boys, the pounding of their feet running from the scene and a painful grunt from Olivia who, having slammed into the shelves was now sliding down to the floor.
“Olivia! My god, are you...” Natalia reached down and attempted to help Olivia up.
By now the store clerk had appeared as well and was asking them if they needed any help.
For the most part, Olivia was feeling embarrassed. Not only did she hurt like hell but the outcome of the altercation had taken her completely by surprise. She usually went into situations having some idea of how they’d end up but this, this was unexpected. The embarrassment was turning to anger and she pushed the helping hands away and gradually hauled herself to her feet on her own.
“Do we have everything that we want?” Olivia asked, keen to get out of the shop.
There was a pause before she heard Natalia reply, “Yeah, I’ll just go get these. Do you want to wait in the car?”
Olivia nodded and without looking back, attempting to regain in her mind some dignity, passed through the ‘tinging’ door again and settled herself in the car to wait.
***
Natalia stood at the cash desk; constantly looking out to the car Olivia was sitting in, and paid for their items. After apologising for the mess, even though the store owner had said it wasn’t their fault for what seemed like the hundredth time, she made her way back out to the car and buckled herself in.
Turning to look at Olivia, she saw the elder woman with her head resting against the window, eyes closed. Natalia wasn’t sure what that meant. What? She doesn’t want to talk to me? Is that it?
For some reason she was feeling so mad right now. She didn’t know if she was mad at herself, mad at Olivia for putting herself in harm’s way like that or mad at the young boys who really should have better things to do with their time than to intimidate passing strangers but she was definitely mad.
The wall of silence that seemed to have come up around Olivia was thick, presently impenetrable.
Natalia continued to fume.
In fact, the quieter it was, the angrier she seemed to get.
After about fifteen minutes of silence she finally couldn’t take it anymore.
“What on earth were you thinking of in there?” she demanded. Taking her eyes from the road to glance over to the brooding woman she saw Olivia’s eyes slowly open and turn to her.
“Well? What on earth were you trying to prove?” she could feel her ire gaining steam.
“I...” a bewildered voice began.
“No. I’m sorry Olivia but the situation was under control,” her emphatic appraisal was met with a snort.
“Sure, that’s what it was.”
“If you hadn’t stormed in there all, ‘do we have a problem boys’,” she mocked Olivia, “they would’ve eventually just given up and walked away.”
“And what if they hadn’t? What if they hadn’t given up?” Olivia was starting to sit up more now and Natalia noticed a flush in Olivia’s cheeks.
Natalia turned the car onto the road leading up to the cabin. “I guess we’ll never know will we because Olivia Spencer, hero to the people had to step in and ‘save the day’.”
The hurt look in Olivia’s eyes made Natalia pause but by now her anger was running full steam ahead. She didn’t have the wherewithal to recognise, this wasn’t anger, this was fear. She’d been terrified when that yob had pushed Olivia away. So shocked she’d just stood there. Twice now she’d stood on the sidelines while Olivia had acted.
The car stopped at the cabin and Natalia angrily unbuckled her seatbelt and stormed out of the car, slamming the door and moving towards the cabin.
She heard the other car door eventually open as she struggled to steady her hand to enter the key in the cabin door. Turning she saw Olivia slowly make her way towards her.
“What? Not so keen to rush in now?” she felt the need to keep jabbing, trying to find a way to express her anger and ending up with petty attacks that felt like picking at a scab, unproductive and painful.
“Natalia, I...” Olivia’s legs seemed to buckle and she was falling, landing on her knees before leaning forward and starting to retch.
***
Olivia couldn’t wait to get into the car. She was humiliated, how could she have made such a fool of herself, charging in like some knight in armour.
The car was hot but the bucket seat wrapped around her and seemed to support all her aches and pains, old and new. She’d hurt herself in the fall, she knew that. When she’d impacted with the shelving, she’d felt pain run up and down her body.
She clenched her fists and tried to control her breathing. She looked over to the store and saw Natalia anxiously glancing out to the car while she waited to pay for their things. All Olivia wanted to do was shut her eyes, relax, and take something.
By the time she heard the other car door open and close, Olivia had found some comfort in the coolness of the window and had rested her head against it trying to sleep and quell the nausea she could feel rising up within her. She wasn’t sure she was going to make it back to the cabin, maybe if she kept her eyes shut. Breathe, that’s it.
She felt like she was starting to get control of her roiling stomach again when Natalia seemed to start in on her with an icy blast of anger. Trying to work up a response without bringing up anything else, she slowly opened her eyes in the hope that focussing on Natalia would have the dream effect of both calming the smouldering, seething woman down and soothing her own nerves.
“I...” That was as far as she got before she felt the need to clench and clamp down on her jaw for fear of losing her meagre breakfast that morning.
Natalia was saying something about things being under control and currently feeling like nothing was under control Olivia managed to snort out, “Sure, that’s what it was.”
Somehow Natalia’s anger was not abating. It seemed to Olivia that she was enjoying this, her own anger now rising along with her stomach, “And what if they hadn’t? What if they hadn’t given up?”
Olivia sat up a bit now, she was sure that blood was trying to redistribute itself around her body and she could feel the uncomfortable prickles of cold sweat breaking out as she tried once again to control her rebelling stomach.
Through the fog, Olivia could hear Natalia chiding her about ‘saving the day’ and then the angry release of a belt buckle and a slamming door. She waited. She knew she wouldn’t be able to stand at the moment, she gave herself a little more time and then slowly opened the door.
Hand on the car hood as she made her way around the front of the car, Olivia tried to take steadying breaths, anything to stop the inevitable, anything to prevent...
Natalia’s voice, even though it seemed to be a million miles away, radiated hurt.
Her vision tunnelling, the dread sense of water at the back of her throat, Olivia collapsed to her knees while calling to her friend and began to empty the contents of her stomach.
TBC...