Olivia and I plopped down together on the sofa in the living room. She squeezed herself closer to me. She sighed softly. Zac was still eating the snack foods and dinner hadn’t even been served yet. I was almost dreading the meal. I was hoping Olivia didn’t mind the giant dead bird in the middle of the table as we ate.
I picked up Olivia’s hand and squeezed it gently. She smiled up at me, lightly touching my cheek with her free hand. “How are you doing?”
I considered my answer for several moments. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever been more tempted to drink in my entire life. Everyone around me was drinking, aside from Olivia. I could smell it, and it started an instant craving. I wanted a beer more than I wanted to breathe. I knew it would instantly take the edge off. I definitely needed something to take away the stress of being around my crazy family.
Avery pushed herself through the crowds of people standing around talking. She ran toward us, crashing into Olivia’s legs. “Livia!” She cried excitedly.
“Hi, honey!” Olivia said in an excited whisper. She scooped up Avery and balanced her on her lap.
“Livia, will you come and play dollies with us?” Avery asked.
I stuck out my hand and Avery grinned, slapping me a high five.
“I think I can. Is it okay if Isaac comes too?”
Avery wrinkled her little nose. “I don’t know about that.” She mused.
I raised my eyebrows. “Hey! Come on, that’s not very nice!” I chuckled.
“Okay, you can come. But you have to be Ken.” She said.
“Alright.” I shrugged.
Olivia laughed sweetly. “Okay, honey, let’s go.” She let Avery down and she pushed her way through the crowds of people again. I stood and Olivia smiled at me. “You’re going to play dolls? That’s so adorable! I should have brought my camera!” She gushed.
I shook my head. “No way, I’m not actually going to play.” I insisted. “I’m just going to watch you and the girls playing.” I insisted, moving my arm around Olivia. We squeezed our way through the other people and made our way up to the second floor. I took Olivia’s hand and led her down the hall. “The girls room is down here.” I insisted, leading her down the hall.
“Okay.” She smiled.
We walked into the girls room. There were dolls everywhere, and the girls had clearly made a fort out of their bunk beds.
“Yay!” Avery grinned hugely.
Olivia plopped down with Avery near the doll house.
I saw Jessica playing in the opposite corner. She was undressing one of her dolls and struggling her into a fancy evening gown.
I crossed the room and plopped down next to her, awkwardly easing myself onto the floor with her.
“Hey, Jessi.” I said softly. “How are you?”
Jessica didn’t answer me. She simply picked up the brush and started yanking it through her doll’s hair.
“What’s your dolls name?” I asked her.
Before Jessica could even say anything, Avery answered. “That doll is Molly.” Avery pointed. “And this one is Betsy.” She turned to Olivia. “You can be Susie.”
“Okay.” Olivia smiled hugely.
Jessica gasped suddenly, and I turned back to her. The doll’s head had popped off, and Jessica looked close to tears.
“Hey, want me to fix it?” I asked her. I took the doll from her and carefully put the head back on. I gave her the doll back and she smiled hugely at me. “Thank you, Ikey.” She said.
“Any time, Jessi.”
Olivia smiled hugely. “Hey, Avery. Why don’t we go and get some snacks, okay? We’ll see if we can find some juice for everyone.”
“Okay!” Avery said.
Olivia and Avery left the room, leaving Jessica and I alone.
Jessica frowned and pointed to my bandaged hand.
I grinned. “Now we match, Jessi.”
“Can I paint yours pink?” She asked me.
I chuckled softly. “I don’t think so, but maybe later.”
“You can sign mine if you want to.” She offered. She reached into the case of art supplies. She handed me a black marker and stuck out her arm.
I found an empty space, and scribbled my name and drew a sloppy little flower.
Jessica smiled.
“Jessi… can we talk about the accident? You know I’m sorry, right? You know I didn’t do it on purpose, right? It was a mistake. I was doing a lot of things I shouldn’t have been doing back then, and I was stupid and irresponsible. I endangered both of our lives, and I’ll never, ever forgive myself.”
“I know.” Jessica said lightly.
I frowned. I wasn’t sure if she actually understood or if she was just saying that.
“I mean it, some day I’m going to make it up to you, okay?”
Jessica blinked up at me, “Can we go bowling?” She asked.
I smiled. “Sure, I’ll take you bowling.” I offered. “Just you and me, kid.”
“Kay.” Jessica smiled. She hugged her Barbie for a moment.
“We’ll have to take the bus though, okay.”
Her eyes brightened. “We get to take the bus too! Awesome!” She said excitedly.
I chuckled. “Okay, it’s a date.”
“Can Olivia and Avie come too?”
“Sure they can.” I agreed.
“Isaac?” She asked.
“Yeah, Jessi?” I asked.
“Is dinner ready? I’m hungry.” She mused.
“Okay. Lets go downstairs and see if we can find something to eat.” I offered. I got to my feet and helped her stand up.
“Want a ride?” I asked her.
Jessica grinned. “Yeah!”
“Okay.” I scooped her up onto my back. She was a lot heavier than I ever remembered her being, but I could carry her comfortably. My hand was killing me, but I was just happy she wasn’t mad at me anymore. I felt Jessica lay her head on my back. “Are you tired, kiddo?” I asked her.
“Yeah, but Avie and I are gonna stay up and try and see Santa tonight.” She informed me.
“Oh, well that’s cool.” I mused.
I reached the bottom of the stairs, finding a group of adults standing around talking. My dad spotted me and smiled. He knew as well as anyone that Jessica had been avoiding me. He knew I felt horrible about the accident. He knew just as well as anyone that I blamed myself, and rightly so. I was responsible for her broken arm.
I walked into the kitchen with Jessica on my back. I found Olivia holding Avery on her lap, she was holding a plate and filling it with all of the items that Avery was picking out.
“Hey.” I smiled, coming into the kitchen.
Olivia turned and smiled. “Hey, how are things?”
Jessica started kicking, wanting down.
I easily swung her down onto her feet and she toddled over to the table of food.
“Good.” I mused.
Olivia smiled brightly. “I’m glad.”
Avery asked to be put down, wanting to copy Jessica. She always copied everything that Jessica did, including the clothes she wore and how she wore her hair.
Olivia gave her the plate of food and Avery started putting all of the items on it that Jessica put on hers.
Olivia crossed the room and wrapped her arms around my waist. “Are you really okay?”
I kissed her hair softly. “Yeah, she’s not mad at me anymore. Or at least I don’t think she’s mad at me anymore,” I mused. “Although I do have to take her bowling.”
“Aww…” She laughed softly. “You’re the sweetest big brother ever!” She cooed.
“Alright, lets not go nuts.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m still cool and tough and macho and everything.”
Olivia giggled. “Of course you are.”
“Good.” I bent down and lightly kissed her.
“Ew!” Both girls screamed, running from the room, with their plates of food.
I sighed. “Well, we sure know how to clear a room.”
Olivia laughed sweetly, standing on her toes and kissing me.
“Oh, gross. Really?”
I turned to see Taylor coming into the kitchen. He’d stopped in his tracks with a disgusted look on his face. His nose was wrinkled in a sign of repulsion.
I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Couldn’t you do that somewhere else besides the kitchen? I mean, the food is in here!” He protested.
“Well, I guess you’ll starve.” I mused, leaning down at kissing Olivia.
She laughed, playfully swatting my chest.
Taylor rolled his eyes and moved past us to the refrigerator. He opened the door and peered in for a minute, removing a can of coke.
“This party is totally getting lame.” Taylor mused. “I’m so bored.”
Olivia slipped her hand into mine. “Maybe we could watch a movie or something?”
“Awesome idea!” Taylor replied, “I like this chick.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. I was just about to warn him against calling my girlfriend a chick, but Olivia smiled, shrugging lightly.
“I’ll pick a movie and we can set it up downstairs.”
I shook my head. “That idea sucks. I think we should let Olivia choose the movie. She’s the guest. And she likes better movies than you do.”
Olivia shook her head. “No way, I’m absolutely fine with anything you guys choose.” She insisted.
“Ha, see?” Taylor smirked.
I shook my head. “You got lucky.” I told him. “We’ll meet you downstairs.”
I picked up Olivia’s hand and led the way out of the kitchen.
My mom stopped us suddenly outside the kitchen. “Oh, hi, kids! Isaac, how are you? Are you okay?” Mom asked, fussing over me. She turned my chin to the side. “Your eye looks a little red, honey, are you okay? Does it hurt?”
“I’m fine mom.” I insisted.
“How about your hand? You should put some ice on it again.” She offered.
“Mom, I’m alright.” I insisted. “I’ve had worse, believe it or not.”
Mom let that slide. I saw the way her face changed. “But still. Are you sure I can’t get you anything? Maybe we could put something on it… I might have something upstairs in the medical cabinet…”
“I’m fine, mom.” I insisted again, rolling my eyes.
Olivia laughed sweetly. “It’s okay, I’m taking good care of him. I promise.” She smiled up at me.
“Oh, good.” Mom sighed of relief. “Are you having a good time, Olivia?”
“Oh, yes. Absolutely!” She insisted.
“You should maybe call your dad later if you want to. Just to wish him a merry Christmas… that is if you want to.” Mom said quickly.
Olivia smiled. “He’s at the office again tonight. But I certainly will call him a little later.” She mused.
“Good. Let me know if you kids need anything.” Mom offered. “Dinner should be ready in an hour or two.”
“Thank you. You’ve been a wonderful host.” Olivia smiled politely.
“Oh, what is Zac doing?” She sighed. “I swear I have to watch that boy like a hawk!” She sighed, crossing the living room and grabbing Zac by the back of his shirt.
“Now’s our chance to escape.” I said quickly, pulling Olivia toward the basement. I helped her down the basement steps and we found Taylor putting a movie into the machine.
Olivia smiled up at me once we reached the bottom of the stairs,
“It’s kind of cool down here; do you want me to grab a blanket?” I asked.
She smiled. “Can we cuddle under it?”
Taylor made hacking and gagging noises nearby.
I rolled my eyes. “Sure, just let me beat the living shit out of my brother first.”
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