Olivia parked her father’s SUV in my parent’s driveway. I reluctantly got out of the passenger’s side of the car, carrying one of the pies that Olivia made. Thomas stumbled out of the back seat with another pie.
“Can I just state for the record, once again, that I really, really don’t want to do this.” I sighed.
Olivia met me around the front of the car, holding her cookbook under her arms. “You’ve already said that. Numerous times on the way over here.” She pointed out.
“Great, so let’s go home. Pie for dinner?” I asked Thomas, who smirked in response.
Olivia sighed impatiently. “We are not going home. We are going to have a good old-fashioned fun family day.” She smiled brightly.
“Great, whose family are we spending that with?” I asked without skipping a beat.
Olivia rolled her eyes. “Okay boys. Both of you in the house.” She sighed.
I turned to Thomas, who moved past me and started up the stairs and into the house.
“Traitor.” I cursed him.
“Hey, it’s you or pie. And I helped you out once this week.” Thomas said. “This time I’m following the pie.”
“Thank you, Thomas.” Olivia chirped happily, following him up the stairs onto the front porch.
I sighed, shaking my head. Suddenly the two people who had stood up for me in court and testified on my behalf were mutinying.
Olivia smiled at me and turned on her heel, pressing the button for the doorbell.
“Just go in.” I said, rolling my eyes. I moved between them and pushed open the door, stepping inside.
I kicked off my shoes and pushed open the closet doors to hang my coat inside. I reached toward Olivia and plucked her wool hat from her head, watching her perfect French braid tumble out. I smirked.
“Hey!” Olivia warned, playfully shoving me. She smiled at me.
“Kids!” My mother cried from behind us.
I turned around, unzipping my brown-leather jacket. “Hi, mom.” I said evenly.
“Oh, honey! You came!” She cried. She swept across the room and kissed me on the cheek.
“Gross, mom. Seriously?” I rolled my eyes.
“Honey, I haven’t seen you most of the time you’ve been home!” She gushed.
She grabbed Olivia, embracing her tightly. “Thank you, thank you so much!”
Olivia giggled. “Well, it wasn’t easy, but I finally got him here.” She shot a quick glance at me.
I rolled my eyes.
“Oh! And this is Thomas Hardwicke. He testified yesterday on-“
“Oh, I know. I remember you! Please call me Diana.” She insisted, sweeping Thomas into an awkward hug. When she finally released him, he adjusted his glasses awkwardly.
“You’re Isaac’s room-mate, correct? I’ve heard so much about you!” She chirped happily.
I sighed. “Okay, mom. Enough gushing over my friends… please?”
“Fine, fine.” Mom replied. “Come in.” She insisted.
“Where can we put the pies?” Olivia asked.
“Bring them into the kitchen.” My mom offered, taking a pie from Thomas and leading Olivia into the rest of the house. Thomas and I hung our coats up in the closet. I hung Olivia’s with mine.
“Come on, man.” I clapped Thomas on the shoulder.
Thomas nodded, following me into the living room. My dad was sitting in his usual chair in the living room. His usual chess game was open in front of him. He was frowning over the game.
My brothers Taylor and Zac were lounging on the sofa watching a movie.
“Hey.” I shrugged, walking into the living room.
I glanced toward Thomas, who didn’t seem to notice the people in the room; he was simply staring at the chess game like a moth to a flame.
“Hey, dad? This is Thomas, he likes chess… maybe he’ll play you.” I offered.
Thomas pushed his glasses up his nose again and nodded. “Sure.”
Dad looked up from his game. “Sure kid. Give it a shot. But don’t blame me if I wind up smoking you on this old board.”
Thomas grinned. “You’re on.”
I decided against pointing out that Thomas was head of the chess club at school, and that he was practically a chess genius, but I thought that in a weird way it might do my dad some good to be taken down a few pegs.
Thomas plopped down on the ottoman and helped my dad re-set up the chess pieces.
I walked down the hall toward the kitchen. My two sisters came running past in a flutter of floral dresses and giggles.
I sighed and peeked into the kitchen. My mother and Olivia were pouring over their cookbooks and deciding on dinner.
I watched them for a moment, leaning against the doorway and into the kitchen and watched them for a minute. Everything seemed to return to normal in the house.
I was once again a simple voice in the background. I felt like a ghost, haunting my own family. I was always in the background, not really mattering.
I silently pushed myself away from the wall and ventured down the remainder of the hallway. I opened the door to the basement; located beneath the spiral staircase that led to the upper level of my parent’s perfect home.
I slipped down the stairs quietly. When I reached the bottom, I turned on the light in the downstairs rec room. The light over the pool table flickered and buzzed to life.
I placed my hands on my hips and surveyed the room.
I crossed the room to the pool table, dropping to my knees next to it. I reached beneath one of the legs and felt around the ledge below. I removed the item I’d been looking for.
I had hidden a battered package of Marlboros there. The package was only half full, with a lighter occupying the empty half of the package.
I removed one of the cigarettes and stuck it between my lips. I flicked the lighter until the flame ignited.
I stared at the flame for a moment, then sighed and released the button. The flame went out. I sighed and crossed the room, dropping the package of cigarettes into the garbage bin.
I shoved my hands through my hair and turned around.
Olivia was standing at the bottom of the basement stairs, her mouth open slightly in alarm.
I sighed, leaning back against the pool table. “I’m sorry, Liv.” I mused.
“No, don’t apologize…” She said softly. She stepped down the remaining stairs and moving toward me. She lightly laid her cool palm against my cheek. “I’m proud of you. You saw temptation and resisted it. You’re the strongest person I know.”
I sighed heavily, lifting Olivia up and sitting her on the pool table. I hopped up next to her.
Olivia shook her head. “This is all my fault. I was trying to do the right thing and help you. Your parents kept saying how much they missed you and how much they loved you; I never stopped to think that it might bother you or hurt you to be here… I guess I was just so busy trying to help, I didn’t think that I might be doing more harm than good…”
“No, no. Liv, it’s okay. You’re right. I should at least try to fix things with my parents…” I protested. I couldn’t stand the thought of upsetting her.
Olivia sighed and laid her head on my shoulder. “I’m sorry, Isaac. I wasn’t thinking about how hard this would be for you… your mom kept saying how much she missed you, and she felt like you were finally back to the old Isaac that she knew before all this happened, and I thought so too. You’re doing so well, and you’re so sweet and strong and…” Olivia sighed.
I swallowed thickly. “Liv… I… I have to tell you something.” I blurted out, before I could stop myself.
Olivia lifted her head from my shoulder, a frown pulling at the corners of her lips. “What is it? What’s wrong?” She asked.
I sighed, placing my hand on her knee gently. “Liv… I wanted to tell you this for a long time… I was planning to do it the night I got arrested and ended up back in jail… but after that there was so much else going on that I just never… I couldn’t get the words out…” I sighed. “I’m sorry, I’m rambling, it’s just hard to tell you this…”
Olivia frowned deeper. “It’s okay. Whatever it is, we’ll work through it-“ She shook her head slowly.
“No, Liv. It’s not bad… at least I don’t think so…” I sighed. “Liv, you mean a lot to me. You’re the only person who believes in me no matter what. Your faith in me has gotten me through so much in the last couple of months and I…. I… love you…”
Olivia gaped at me for a moment.
“It’s okay, if you don’t feel the same, you don’t have to say it back or anything… I just…. I wanted to let you know… how I feel.” I frowned at myself.
“No, no.” Olivia insisted. She smiled hugely. “I’m so glad you said that. I’ve been thinking about it too and I love you too.” She leaned toward me and kissed me.
I sighed, embracing her tightly.
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