Husband With Benefits

Olivia rolled her eyes at Seb’s teasing, a mixture of annoyance and relief washing over her, even as she felt conscious of his arm around her. "You’re the one who wasn’t here when I woke up," she retorted, a playful edge to her tone.

Seb grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Ah, but I returned just in time, didn’t I? I went to get you some breakfast and I came back to see you had disappeared. Mrs B... your daughter is going to take revenge for you and turn my hair grey!"

The complaint brought a small smile to Mrs. Brown’s lips as she watched them from her bed. "You two always were like this," she said softly, her voice filled with affection.

Olivia’s heart squeezed at the sight of her mother’s smile. Despite the circumstances, there was a sense of peace in this moment and she felt a pang in her heart. How long had it been since her mother had smiled like this? She’d even forgotten that. Would she have remembered this smile in the future? Or would she have remembered her mother as the frail and worried woman she’d turned into since she fell sick?

While she was on the verge of crying, Seb seemed to have sensed it as he squeezed her shoulders, without even needing to look at her.

Seb leaned closer to Mrs. Brown, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek. "We’ll go grab some breakfast, Mrs. B. You rest up, okay? And then, I am going to come and read some of the recent news about those atrocious Frost brothers and their anecdotes these days."

Mrs. Brown nodded, her eyes twinkling with gratitude. "Thank you, Seb. The Frost brothers are the best entertainment for this old woman."

Outside the hospital room, Olivia stepped away from Seb hurriedly, feeling the weight of conflicting emotions pressing down on her. Her mother and her were a family unit. A complete family. Why then, did Seb have to fit into their family as if he was an important piece of a puzzle and seemed to complete them? He had no right to be like this when they had no future.

"I thought you’d gone," she said, her voice tight with suppressed anger. "You can go. I’ll let mom know that you’re busy... She will understand."

Seb’s jaw tightened, his own anger boiling to the surface, as he took a step closer to her. "You think you can explain my absence by using work as an excuse? Then you’re only fooling yourself, Liv. Your mom knows me better than you do. She knows that if I’ve let go of the past, then nothing can drag me away from you at a time like this."

The intensity of his words hit Olivia like a punch to the gut, her resolve faltering as she fought back tears. He was right and she hated him for it. He was there for her, supporting without saying a word and yet his presence was as painful as it was comforting. He wasn’t leaving her alone when she needed him, but he wasn’t ’with her’ as well.

"Seb..." she started, her voice wavering with uncertainty.