Take Me as I Am

“What did he want?” Jonathan asked Olivia as they walked into his apartment after Olivia’s meeting with Sokolov. Jonathan had asked her as soon as she had exited his office, but she had refused to say anything to him in the locker room.

“He doesn’t want me dating you,” Olivia told him.

“What are you talking about?” Jonathan asked, confused.

“He told me that he has known that I’m his daughter, and he thinks that I only took the job to get close to him. Then, he accused me of only dating you so I can turn you against him!” Olivia exclaimed. “That is not why I’m dating you!”

“I know,” Jonathan told her, knowing his girlfriend was getting angrier by the moment.

“He told me that either I break up with you now or that one of us are going to be gone.”

“I don’t understand,” Jonathan told her.

“He said that if we don’t break up he’s either going to get me fired or he’s going to get rid of you,” Olivia explained.

“He can’t do that!” Jonathan exclaimed.

“That’s what I said, but he says that he’s the coach and he’ll make it happen,” she said. “Jon, I don’t know what to do,” she said rubbing her face. “I don’t want us to break up again. That was miserable for the both of us, but I’m afraid that if we don’t one of us is going to be out of here.”

“Olivia, I love you,” Jonathan told her, and she took her hands off of her face and looked at him. “And, I’m not going to let my coach tell me who I can and can’t date,” he said smiling.

“I love you, too,” Olivia said. “It’s just he pulled out the dad card,” she told him. When he looked at her with a confused expression, she explained. “He told me that as my father, he was forbidding me from seeing you.”

“Olivia, don’t listen to a word he says. He’s not your boss. The only people that could ever fire you are Dale or Rocky,” he said, referring to the team’s general manager and owner. “They’re not going to fire you. And he can’t get rid of me. Only Dale can do that,” he assured her.

“If you’re positive,” Olivia said.

“I am,” Jonathan said leaning over and kissing her.

Olivia decided to go talk to Dale the following day. She was worried about what Sokolov was going to do, and she did not want Jonathan traded because of her. She knew that he loved it here, and there was no way she was going to be the reason he had to leave.

She knocked on Dale’s office door, and he lifted his head and waved for her to come in. “Olivia, what are you doing here?” he asked.

“I needed to talk to you,” she told him as she took a seat opposite of him.

“What about?” Dale asked, giving Olivia his full attention.

“I had a meeting with Sokolov yesterday,” she began, but Dale interrupted her.

“Oh, yes,” Dale said. “Alex told me that he was going to talk to you.”

“Did he tell you what about?” she asked, wondering if Sokolov had actually admitted that she was his daughter that he had abandoned all those years ago.

“He’s concerned about your relationship with Jon,” Dale told her. Apparently, Sokolov had forgotten to mention the fact about him being Olivia’s father. “He’s worried that Jon’s spending too much time with you, and that he isn’t focusing on the team.”

“You know that’s not true,” Olivia said, defending her boyfriend. “He cares more about the team than just about anyone in that locker room.”

“I know he does,” Dale said simply. “Alex is just worried about what happens if the two of you should break up. I mean, are you two still going to be civil while working? And how is Jon going to play if you should break up?”

“I’m sorry, but in case you’ve forgotten, Jon and I did break up once. It was hard on both of us,” Olivia reminded him.

“I know,” Dale told her. “I remember. That was when Jon had his little drought. We wouldn’t want that to happen again.”

“I don’t understand,” Olivia told him. “Do you want me and Jon to break up or not?” she asked.

“I don’t care about my players’ and employees’ personal lives. If you and Jon want to date, who am I to stop you?” Dale asked.

“Are you planning on firing me, then?” she asked him hesitantly.

“Fire you?” Dale asked, confused. “Why would I fire you? You’re one of the best we’ve had here in a while. As I said before, who you date is your business, not mine. As long as both you and Jon get your jobs done, I have no problem with the two of you dating,” he told her.

“Then, are you planning on trading Jon?”

“Olivia, where do you get these ideas?” Dale asked.

“I don’t know,” she said quietly.

“Now, I can’t promise you that Jon won’t be traded,” Dale told her, and Olivia’s stomach immediately dropped. “Now, don’t take that the wrong way. I’m not going out there seeking someone to trade Jon for. But, if the right deal comes along, I’ll do it. Just like I would for any player.”

“I understand,” Olivia told him.

“Good,” Dale said smiling. “Now, don’t worry about your job security anymore, okay?”

“Okay,” Olivia said. “Thanks.”

“For what?” Dale asked.

“For putting my mind at ease,” she told him as she walked out of his office.