We were in the emergency room for what seemed like hours. The doctor gave me three stitches in each of my first four knuckles. Without an x-ray, he deduced that there was possibly a crack in my cheek bone, but nothing he could do but let it heal normally.<\/p>\n
He took a good look at my face and the missing skin on my wrists. I was sure he suspected something was up, but Olivia insisted I\u2019d crashed a dirtbike on a gravel road and he believed her sweet sincerity.<\/p>\n
He gave me a prescription for Tylenol, but I shoved it hastily in my pocket. It wasn\u2019t the best prescription for pain he could have given me, but I was sure it would take the edge off. At least since I wasn\u2019t under the influence of anything else, it might actually work.<\/p>\n
We left the hospital, and drove to a movie rental store. We picked out two\u00a0 movies. The first one was a chick flick that she had chosen and the second one was an action comedy that I\u2019d picked out. From there we drove to Olivia\u2019s father\u2019s house. It was almost dinner time.<\/p>\n
She refused to let me help with dinner, and practically forced me to sit down on the sofa. She insisted I put a bag of ice on my hand to reduce the swelling. My hand was black and blue and double the size it should have been. My face was killing me, and I actually wondered if I\u2019d cracked a tooth. I was sure by the morning my eye would be black too.<\/p>\n
I took a Tylenol and watched a football game that was on TV while Olivia made dinner. She brought me a coke when I finished the one I had and even brought me a bag of chips.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t have to wait on me,\u201d I insisted.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know I don\u2019t have to. I want to.\u201d She shrugged lightly.<\/p>\n
I watched her chop the ingredients for the pizza she was making.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, Liv. Can I ask something?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSure.\u201d She shrugged lightly.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou told me before your dad was a lawyer. And tonight you told the cop that he was a judge\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Olivia sighed. \u201cHe is a judge. I don\u2019t tell a lot of people that because it makes him seem greater than he actually is. It\u2019s easier to just tell people he\u2019s a lawyer, that way he doesn\u2019t seem like such an important person.\u201d She sighed. \u201cWhen people hear your dad is a judge, they expect different things. It\u2019s easier to just say he\u2019s a lawyer\u2026 Because really that\u2019s all he is, a glorified lawyer. He\u2019s not at all above the law.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI get that.\u201d I agreed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am going to tell him about that cop. What he did was just\u2026 wrong.\u201d She shuddered.<\/p>\n
\u201cOlivia, it\u2019s alright.\u201d I mused. \u201cI\u2019m used to it by now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t make it right. Doesn\u2019t the man have morals?\u201d She demanded irritably.<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess not.\u201d I mused.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you want to call your parents? Maybe you should let them know what happened\u2026\u201d Olivia offered.<\/p>\n
I shrugged. \u201cThey\u2019ll see my face when I walk in the door, and I\u2019ll tell them then. They probably won\u2019t believe me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll vouch for you.\u201d Olivia answered. \u201cI\u2019ll go in to the house with you and tell them everything.\u201d She insisted.<\/p>\n
I smiled, even though it hurt. \u201cThanks. That\u2019ll help.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSure, any time.\u201d She smiled.<\/p>\n
Instead of watching the television, I watched Olivia focus on neatly arranging the various toppings on the pizza and covering them with the cheese she had grated earlier.<\/p>\n
She put the pizza in the oven carefully and set a timer.<\/p>\n
She crossed the apartment and sat next to me carefully. \u201cHow are you? Are you okay?\u201d she asked, taking my non-wounded hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m fine.\u201d I mused. \u201cBelieve it or not I\u2019ve been beat up worse.\u201d<\/p>\n
Olivia sighed, and with her free hand reached up and lightly touched my cheek. \u201cWe should maybe put some ice on your eye too. I think you\u2019re going to get a black eye.\u201d She mused.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s alright.\u201d I mused. \u201cI\u2019ll be fine. Stop worrying, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
Olivia nodded, drawing in a deep breath. \u201cOkay\u2026 I\u2019ll try.\u201d She lightly laid her head on my shoulder.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you tired?\u201d I asked, lightly playing with her fingers.<\/p>\n
Olivia nodded a second time. \u201cYeah, I think so. I don\u2019t entirely know why.\u201d She sighed.<\/p>\n
She reached for a blanket that had been draped over the sofa and pulled it over herself, making sure to cover my lap as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cClose your eyes for a bit, Liv. When the timer goes, I\u2019ll take the pizza out of the oven, okay?\u201d I offered.<\/p>\n
Olivia shook her head. \u201cNo way. Not with a bum hand. The last thing I need to do is take you back to the hospital with severe burns. The ER doctors will think I\u2019m brutally abusing you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I chuckled. \u201cA sweet little thing like you? I doubt it.\u201d I smirked.<\/p>\n
Olivia lifted her head from my shoulder and smiled at me, hugely. \u201cBesides, I need to stay awake for our big, romantic, movie night in date.\u201d<\/p>\n
I laughed. \u201cOkay, okay. I get it. Staying in for the evening is not the most romantic thing in the world. If you want we can go out.\u201d I offered. \u201cI\u2019m sure we can find something to do together.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, no. I was being sincere. I\u2019m definitely glad we\u2019re staying in tonight. It\u2019s very nice to spend the private time together\u2026 besides, it\u2019s cold out there.\u201d She shrugged lightly.<\/p>\n
I chuckled. \u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n
The timer went on the pizza and Olivia leapt to her feet. She opened the oven and peered inside. She turned the pizza and checked the bottom before shutting the oven door again. She reset the timer and set to work getting everything ready.<\/p>\n
She reached down two plates and found a small stack of napkins.<\/p>\n
She hummed a soft, slow tune as she worked. She found the pizza cutter and arranged everything on the kitchen island carefully.<\/p>\n
She poured herself a glass of ice tea and rummaged through the fridge again. She produced another can of coke and brought it over to me. She placed it on the coffee table next to my swollen and stitched hand. \u201cJust for when you finish your last coke.\u201d She offered.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you\u2026 can I help with anything?\u201d I offered. \u201cI mean, granted I only have one good hand but I could do something. I could set the table\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, actually, I thought we could just eat on the sofa.\u201d She shrugged. \u201cThat way we don\u2019t have to stop watching movies or anything, you know? We got three movies, and you have to be home by midnight\u2026\u201d She mused.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight. That\u2019s a better idea.\u201d I mused.<\/p>\n
I was dreading going home. I was sure that my parents would absolutely freak out when they took one look at my face and my bandaged hand. Even if Olivia explained to them what had happened, I was sure they\u2019d be waiting to ambush me the second she left.<\/p>\n
Olivia went back into the kitchen and I reached into my pocket for the bottle of Tylenol. When she wasn\u2019t looking, I took two pills and washed it down with a drink from my coke.<\/p>\n
The last thing I wanted was to admit that my face and hand hurt more than I let on. I didn\u2019t want to seem like a wimp in front of Olivia.<\/p>\n
Olivia opened the oven again and turned the pizza a second time. She sighed, leaning against the counter as she took a sip of her iced tea.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou could put a movie on if you want.\u201d She offered. \u201cThe pizza is almost ready.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, which one do you want to watch first?\u201d I asked. \u201cYour movie or mine?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou choose.\u201d Olivia lifted her shoulders lightly.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay\u2026\u201d I mused, glancing at the movies. I chose the one she picked.<\/p>\n
I stood up from the sofa and crossed the living room. I put the movie in and sat down with the remote.<\/p>\n
I had barely managed to get everything cued up when Olivia came into the room with two plates of pizza. She placed one plate in front of me, and plopped down on the floor with the other. She crossed her legs and sat at the coffee table like it was a low dining table.<\/p>\n
She smiled at me, waiting as I took a huge, massive bight out of the pizza she\u2019d given me.<\/p>\n
I chewed it slowly, my mouth already watering.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow is it?\u201d Olivia asked, blinking up at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cDelicious.\u201d I mused. \u201cAmazing. This is the best pizza I\u2019ve ever eaten.\u201d I smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cReally?\u201d Olivia beamed happily.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah. This pizza is better than ninety percent of the pizza places in Tulsa. You should give lessons or something.\u201d I mused.<\/p>\n
Olivia laughed softly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t even miss the meat.\u201d I teased.<\/p>\n
Olivia laughed sweetly. \u201cWell, that\u2019s good. And this pizza is a lot healthier than anything you could get at a restaurant. All the items are fresh, and there are no preservatives.\u201d She shrugged lightly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s good.\u201d I replied, although I had no idea what she was talking about.<\/p>\n
Olivia picked up her own pizza and took a small, dainty bite. She\u2019d only taken three pieces, and given me five. It suited me fine, because I probably could have eaten the entire pizza myself.<\/p>\n
Once we\u2019d finished eating, Olivia climbed up on the sofa with me, wrapping her arms around me. I tucked the blanket around us both, and she sighed comfortably.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll help you with the dishes before I leave, okay?\u201d I offered, lightly kissing her hair.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s okay. You don\u2019t have to do that.\u201d She insisted. \u201cI\u2019ll leave it for the house keeper.\u201d She shrugged.<\/p>\n
\u201cHouse keeper? You have a house keeper?\u201d I asked in disbelief.<\/p>\n
Olivia nodded. \u201cLovely woman. She lives just outside town on a farm. She has two teenage children and seven cows. I think she even mentioned a couple of goats when she was here this morning.\u201d She frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh\u2026 well, in that case, we should trash the place. I mean, even if it looked like a bomb went off in here, we\u2019d still have to be cleaner than the cows.\u201d<\/p>\n
Olivia laughed.<\/p>\n