“Yes, I’ll be here.” I hug him, clinging to this man I love with all my being, and dying a little inside.
“I expect great things from this room.” He showers my nose and cheeks with kisses like he’s trying to kiss all of my freckles. “Lots of hours studying, straight A assignments, a few naughty videos that you’ll send me …”
“Mr. Konrad, I would never!”
He squeezes my ass. “I think you would and I hope … really hope you will.”
“We should go.”
Oliver glances at his watch. “I’m afraid you’re right.”
Oliver drives us to Logan International. I’ve had a slow building of emotions threatening to ruin our goodbye.
Hold it together. Hold it together.
He gets his suitcases out of the trunk and hands me his keys with a smirk.
“I know, don’t wreck it.” I hold out my hand.
“I was going to say don’t kill yourself or anyone else.”
“Ha ha.”
He sets the keys in my hand then closes his hand around mine. Our eyes meet. “I’m going to try and get back to you as soon as I can.”
I nod because I can’t speak. He holds my face in his hands and kisses me. Our tongues brush together as our lips move in sync. One last embrace follows our long kiss goodbye.
Hold it together. Hold it together.
“I’ll talk to you soon.”
I nod, holding my breath, strangled by my emotions.
We share one last sad smile before he turns and walks toward the doors. I get in the driver’s seat and start the car. My stomach churns with nausea and my heart feels heavy and tight like it’s suffocating. I place my hands on the top of the steering wheel, rest my forehead on them, and I cry. My door opens and I suck in a startled breath, looking up.
Oliver. He shakes his head and bends down pulling me into his arms. I sob. It’s ugly and painful, but I can’t hold it in any longer.
“Let it go, my love, let it go,” he whispers in my ear, stroking my hair.
“It h-hurts s-so bad.”
“Shh … I know it does. I feel it too.”
He doesn’t rush me like he has a plane to catch, and he even ignores the occasional horn that honks behind us. Oliver’s love is patient and it makes his departure even harder to handle.
He wipes my tears as I sniffle. “Don’t hide your feelings from me, not ever. Okay?”
“O-k-kay.” I grab a tissue out of my purse and wipe my nose. “Why’d you c-come back.”
He smiles. “Because I had this feeling you needed one last hug.”
My lips curl into a tight, painful smile. His words manage to wring a few more tears out of my puffy, red eyes.
“Vivian, I love you more than you could ever imagine in a million lifetimes. Don’t ever forget that, okay?”
“K … I love you too, Oli.”
“More than Boston Kreme?”
“Yes.” I laugh and kiss him.
“More than my mom’s cobbler?”
“Yes.” Another kiss.
“More than Rosenberg?”
“You’re pushing it, buddy.”
“There’s my girl. Sweet and sassy, just like I like her.” He kisses my forehead then stands. “Say bye to the fur ball for me.”
I roll my eyes as he shuts the door. He places his hand flat on the window and I do the same. One last, sad smile. I see the unshed tears glisten in his eyes right as he turns and walks away.
“Bye, Oli.” I choke out as I look in the rearview mirror and watch him disappear through the glass doors.
Oliver never indicated how long he might be in Portland and I never asked. I knew it would just be a guess on his part, and I didn’t want to set myself up for disappointment if it took longer. Measuring the time in weeks is probably unrealistic, months is what I imagine, and anything beyond that is too painful to think about right now.
I know Alex is probably waiting for me. We’re supposed to meet with a band that may play at their reception. But I need a few minutes alone to … I don’t know—miss Oliver some more.
“Rosenberg,” I call, opening the door. Slipping off my shoes, I look up. “What’s … going on?” My parents are here and so is Alex, Sean, and Maggie. “Is this an intervention?”
“More like a prevention.” My mom hugs me.
“Yeah, Oliver called yesterday and asked if we could all plan on being here for you after he left today.” Alex grabs my hand and gives me the familiar sad smile that’s been going around today. “I guess he didn’t want you hiding in the closet, curled up on the floor wearing his T-shirt with your nose nestled into an old sweatshirt that smells like him.”
Everyone laughs at Alex’s comment.
“I don’t think you need to worry about that.” I laugh.
They should definitely worry about that. It’s number three on my Oliver-left-me-a basket-case list—right after washing my hair with his shampoo and dry humping the sheets on his side of the bed.
“Good to know, but we’re still taking you out on the town for the day,” Maggie says.
“Out on the town?”
“Yes. Oliver won’t be in Portland for almost eight hours so while you’re waiting for his call we’re heading out to see the best of Boston like a bunch of tourists.”
“The Tea Party museum and Freedom Trail,” my dad says.
“Mike’s cannoli and duck boats,” Sean chimes in too.
“Maybe we’ll head to Newbury Street for some school shopping, compliments of my parents.” Alex gives me a wicked grin and holds up a black American Express card.
“I don’t know … I start school tomorrow and I don’t really feel like—”
“We’re under strict orders from Oliver … Staying here is not an option, even if we have to drag you along.” Sean winks, giving me a wicked grin. We fight like siblings most of the time. I’m sure he’d love nothing more than to drag me around Boston by my hair.
“Fine.”
Exhausted. That’s the only word for my mental and physical state. As promised, we did the whole tourist thing and took in as much of Boston as we could in one day. Had I not been thinking about Oliver the whole time it would have been a great day. Although I’ve lived here for over two years, I’ve never taken in all of Boston and its rich history. We finished off our day at Oliver’s parents’ house for dinner. Being with them made me feel closer to him. It was bitter sweet too. I’d imagined we’d be together when our parents met for the first time. They seemed to get along well and our moms even exchanged e-mail addresses and phone numbers to keep in touch, more like keep tabs on their kids.
The house is lonely and quiet without Oli. I’m grateful Rosenberg is here to keep me company. I’m not on the closet floor, but I am wearing Oli’s T-shirt, snuggling with Rosenberg on Oli’s side of the bed waiting for him to call. Tomorrow will be my first day of college. I hope it’s the distraction I need from Oliver and not the other way around.
My phone vibrates and I answer it with a pathetic teenage girl eagerness.
“Oli?”
“Hey, sexy.”
My whole body melts into the sheets as I sigh from the sound of his voice.
“Just got off the plane and I’m waiting for my luggage. How was your day? Anything exciting happen?”
“Nope. After I dropped you off, I came home and curled up in a ball on the closet floor, wrapped in your clothes, and sobbed until I fell asleep. In fact, I just woke up.”
“What? You mean nobody—”
“Yes, babe. I’m officially an expert on all things Boston. I have ten bags of clothes from the most expensive stores on Newbury Street, guaranteeing that I’ll be the best-dressed freshman on campus tomorrow; that is if I can fit into them after the meal your mom made for everyone tonight.”