Always There

JFK International Airport was busy with holiday travelers coming into and leaving the New York area. The hustle and bustle was enough to make a person's head spin as they tried to reach the correct terminal, check in at the desk and find the gate to the plane that would take them to their final destination.

Maria's SUV pulled up in front of the Northwest Airlines terminal, her hands gripping the steering wheel as she turned to her right to look at Billie Joe who sat beside her in the passenger's seat.

"This is only for drop offs, so I can't stay parked here too long or I'll be ticketed," she said, throwing a glance toward the backseat where Olivia was perched anxiously on the edge.

"You're not coming with us to see us off, mom?"

Maria shook her head, feeling Billie Joe's eye on her before her turned to Olivia as well. "No, people without plane tickets aren't allowed past the security checkpoints anymore because of 9/11."

"Oh," Olivia replied as she reached over the front seats and threw her arms around her mom and gave her a tight squeeze.

"I'll miss you though," Maria assured. "You have a nice time, okay?"

"I will," the preteen promised, biting her lip to suppress her excitement.

Maria and Billie Joe looked at each other for a moment and smiled. "You take care of her or I will personally hunt you down and castrate you, okay?"

Billie Joe's grin was an answer enough. He touched Maria's hand and nodded as he leaned in and kissed her cheek, rather platonically. "Cross my heart and hope to die."

Releasing a nervous sigh, Maria glanced between father and daughter, not able to believe how easy their relationship had come together. Or how odd it was to have them beside each other, looking so damn alike. As they slid out of the SUV, Billie Joe tapped the car as they pulled their suitcases from the trunk.

With one last wave the father-daughter duo stepped back away from the vehicle as Maria blew Olivia a kiss. Or was it directed to both of them? A part of Billie Joe secretly hoped it was the latter. As the SUV pulled away, Billie Joe lead Olivia into the building, handing her a baseball cap just as he put one on as well.

"What's this for?" she asked.

"Discretion."

They stepped into line, dragging their rolling suitcases behind them, waiting with the other people to check in at the ticket desk. When it was their turn, Billie Joe showed the ticket clerk his ID and then she handed over their tickets. Taking Olivia's hand he helped guide her in the direction they had to go in order to get to their gate.

They had no problem getting to where they needed to be, but it was a matter of finding an empty seat when it came time for waiting for the plane to board that was a bitch. There only two seats that were close to one another were across from each other, and about three seats diagnol. During the wait, just sitting there, Billie Joe would throw her weird faces, scrunching up his nose or sticking out his tongue, crossing his eyes like a mental patient...making her laugh.

They were held back the plane began to board because they were flying first class, but as soon as they were seated and the flight attendants when through their typical safety rules and directions, it was smooth sailing from there.

* * *

"Um...Dad?"

Billie Joe stirred, snapping out of his daydream and turning to his right to look at Olivia who was looking back up at him. "Yeah?"

"Can I ask you question?"

"That was a question," he teased. "Sure, go ahead."

"Any question?"

He prepared himself for whatever she was gonna throw his way, straightened his posture and nodded. "Shoot."

"Do you still love my mom?" she blurted, catching him off guard. "I mean, I know you're married and stuff...but...do you?"

"Um...well, yeah. She gave me you. And she's a good woman, a great mother..."

"That's not what I mean. I'm twelve, not two," Olivia replied, giving him a look that gave him the willies because it scared him how much she looked and acted most like him. "I saw the kiss in the kitchen," she whispered.

"You did? I mean--"

"It made me smile," she cut him off. "I always wondered what it'd be like to see my mom and my real dad together. It's something I always hoped for because sometimes I really wish she'd never married Mitch. But, yet, I'm glad because then I wouldn't have Ben or Nate for my brothers and I love them."

"Double-edged sword," Billie Joe remarked. "If you want one thing, you have to take another with it. Keep the balance. Like, good can't be good without some evil in the world."

"Um..." Olivia hesitated. "Okay, you're kinda steering away from the subject."

He looked at her with a smirk. "I know," he answered guiltily. "But you know what? It's still off topic, but you're quite mature for your age."

"What can I say? Have you met my mom?" she smiled. "Anywho...I know you're married and love your wife and other kids...but do you love my mom the same way? Do you still love her like you did when you were boyfriend and girlfriend?"

Billie Joe had to think his answer through carefully. "Well...suppose that in my own way, yes I do. But...it's different. I can't ever forget what your mom meant to me, and still does, but I do love my wife. And your mom loves Mitch."

Olivia frowned and sunk back into her seat. "Yeah, I know. I just wish it was easier. Because now I know who my real dad is but you live all the way on the other side of the country. I'll never see you except maybe on holidays and during the summer, if you even wanna see me."

He looked down at his daughter as if her were greatly offended. "Liv...of course I wanna see you. I've found out I have a mature, smart and beautiful daughter. Why would I not wanna be a part of your life? Why would I not wanna see you?"

"'Cause it'd be too much of a pain in the butt to travel back and forth?" she suggested.

"You know, my friend Tre who plays the drums in the band, he has a daughter Ramona who's ten. She lives in New York City with her mom, who's Tre's ex-wife. He still makes the time to fly out to see her every chance he gets. And she visits on holidays and summers too. If Tre can do it, so can I."

Olivia turned her head up with a smile, still wearing the baseball cap he had put on her head at the airport. Billie Joe couldn't help but smile back, seeing so much of himself in her. Playfully smacking down the visor of her hat, she retaliated by trying to reach for his, but she settled for thwacking him in the arm.

"You're brutal like your mom used to be."

"I have twelve years of practice and two brothers to pick on," she replied.

"Well, you're about to meet two more brothers you'll be able to pick on, too."

She stopped trying to attack him and dropped her hands in her lap as she bit her bottom lip, as if she'd just had a revelation. "I forgot about that. You're other kids are my little brothers too." Then she grimaced.

"What's the face for?"

"Nothing," she shrugged. "It's just...my mom and Mitch or you and your wife better make me a sister because I don't wanna be surrounded by boys all the time."

Billie Joe laughed and mock saluted her. "Yes, ma'am."