Meant to Be

Time stood still for a moment as they stared into each other’s eyes. Brendon felt like he couldn’t breathe and something was crushing his sternum. She looked even more beautiful than he had remembered three months ago.

Olivia felt frozen – not able to move anything or speak. She managed to control her breathing, but she felt as if her heart would rip through her chest. She felt another kick to her stomach and tried her best not to wince. The first one was less harsh, more like a flutter, and came when she heard Brendon’s voice. Out of all the things to happen that day, seeing Brendon was the last thing she wanted.

“Hey Liv,” he smiled as he moved closer to her.

She turned her head back around, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, and quietly went back to looking at her menu. She heard Brendon walk around her and took the seat across from hers. He clasped his hands in front of him and smiled as Olivia tried to avoid his gaze.

“What is this? The day of the exes?” she asked sarcastically, her eyes still on her menu.

Brendon let out a small chuckle. “I’m sure you’re happier to see me than Jason.”

Olivia finally looked up at him, not cracking a smile, but her face showing a hint of annoyance. “I’m not actually. I’d rather not have seen either of you.”

“That’s a little harsh don’t you think?” he asked a bit hurt by her comment.

She realized the hurt look in his eyes and felt bad for what she said. “I’m sorry. I just wasn’t expecting either of you to show up here today…or ever,” she apologized.

That was his window of opportunity to lighten her mood about him finding her. “You honestly thought I wouldn’t come find you? That I would give up so easily? Come on Liv, you know me better than that,” he said with a sly smirk.

She hated when he did that – the smirk. It somehow always managed to make her smile back when she tried to remain tough. “How did you find me anyways? I didn’t say anything about coming back to Vegas,” she asked.

Brendon sat back in his seat and watched as she lowered her menu down onto the table before speaking. “Kara told me she saw you walking and went inside a restaurant. When I knew you were here, I just had to come and see that you were okay.”

Olivia felt another flutter from the baby and smiled a little. “Did my email to you worry you that much?”

He nodded his head and reached over to grab her hands in his. “Of course it did. I even went to Seattle to see if I could do anything to help, but when I got there Jason said you had left,” he said rubbing the top of her hands with his thumbs.

“Did he tell you why I left?”

“He said you had been cheating on him, fallen in love with that man, and left to be with him. And that all you left was note and the ring,” Brendon explained.

Olivia rolled her eyes and sighed. “He would say anything to save face. I’m sure he’s telling your whole family that story huh?”

Brendon shrugged his shoulders. “That’s what he told me at least, but I had a feeling he was lying.” There was a small pause in their conversation as Olivia lowered her eyes and pulled her hands out of his. “What did really happen then?” he asked, hoping to get the truth.

She licked her lips and then looked back at him. “He had been cheating on me for three years with some college girl in New York. When I thought he was only doing business, he was doing someone else too. Three months ago, she showed up at the apartment and told me she was pregnant, but Jason said she was lying and it was all a sham to get him back.”

“Do you think she was lying?” Brendon asked.

Olivia shook her head. “She reminded me of myself when I called you to tell you I was pregnant. She just looked terrified and lost like I was,” she said, remembering that day perfectly.

“I’m sorry,” he said in a low tone.

She arched an eyebrow. “For what?” she asked confusedly.

“For being so mean to you that day. And for everything.” The latter he said quieter.

She half smiled, appreciating the apology. “You were pretty mean to me weren’t you?” He smiled and nodded his head in agreement. More silence. She licked her lips again and inhaled deeply. “I still don’t get why you came looking for me though.”

“I wanted to see if you were okay,” he answered simply.

“But why? I wanted you to move on and forget about me.”

“You make it sound so easy. Forgetting about you will always be one of the hardest things I’d have to do,” he said honestly.

Olivia knew exactly what he meant. Even after all the events that had happened when they were together in Seattle, she still couldn’t get him off her mind; and it didn’t help when people would bring him up in conversation.

“What about Kayla and the baby? Does she even know what you’re doing in Vegas or that you’re even here?” she asked, trying to focus his attention back on Kayla and his baby.

Brendon shook his head. “No, but –,” he began.

“Brendon, you need to stop worrying about me. I’m not what’s important in your life anymore. You’re going to be father soon,” she said, almost as if confessing she was having his baby.

“You never read my email did you?” he asked, knowing the answered would be no.

She looked down at the cell phone in her purse and slowly reached down to grab it, though it proved harder to do with a baby bump. She clicked the email icon and found the unopened one from Brendon. She inhaled before opening it.

Liv,

I’m coming for you whether you want me to or not.

I still love you,
Brendon

She looked up at him in bewilderment and placed the phone down on the table. “I don’t understand. What happened?”

“Let’s just say there is no baby, it was never mine, and I’m done with Kayla. All I care about is you,” he said grabbing one of her hands in his. “I wanna be with you.”

There was so much seriousness in his voice. She tried to process everything he had just told her, but she didn’t know what to think of it all. What she needed was time.

“Brendon, I don’t know. I need some time to think about it.”

He nodded his head understandably. “Okay,” he said trying his best not to protest her request. “But I’m only in town for two more days. If I don’t hear anything from you by Friday, then I’ll know what you decided. I’ll leave you alone and go back to L.A. knowing that I tried and fought for you.”

She sat there quietly, looking into his brown eyes, and subtly rubbed her baby bump. She knew he had more to say, so he waited for him to finish.

“I do have one favor to ask though. Just give me a sec; I need to go to my car.” She nodded her head and he quickly left to get what he needed from his car.

He startled her when he dropped the CD case on the table. She looked at it and then back at him.

“What’s this?” she asked, picking up the CD case.

“It’s our newest album; the one we just finished recording. I just want you to listen to it before making your decision,” he said.

“Why?”

“It’s mostly about you.” Brendon could tell she looked unsure if she should listen to it. “Please, just listen to it. I poured my heart into those songs.”

Olivia sighed and accepted the favor. She couldn’t help but smile back when she saw his face light up with happiness.

He bent down next to her and caressed her cheek with his hand. “Thank you,” he whispered before gently pressing his lips against hers.