I grab one of the files and open it. “I’ll start on these next Monday if that works. I need to go back home and pack up my stuffy suits and shiny shoes.”
“Yeah, I heard a rumor you’ve been helping your brother plant shit.”
I stand. “Yes, that’s his business tagline. ‘We plant shit.’”
Brice pulls out his sandwich and props his feet up on the desk.
“Looking forward to it, preppy.”
I shake my head. “See you Monday.”
As expected my news isn’t going over well with Doug and Lily.
“You can’t leave. She’s just started to come around again,” Lily says.
“It’s just for the weekend. I’ll tell her I’m leaving for two days and that I’ll be back.”
I start down the stairs, tired of having this argument with them.
“She won’t understand,” Doug calls after me.
“Then she probably won’t notice that I’m gone for two flipping days!”
Every day I wonder what I’m doing. I found out after Caroline was admitted that Lily has struggled with depression most of her adult life and even takes medication for it. The genetic factor was there. That would have been helpful to know when I married my pregnant wife. So naturally Lily is extra sensitive about … everything. I not only have to baby step my way around Caroline, I have to with Lily as well. I hope I can accomplish whatever the hell it is I’m supposed to be accomplishing here and get out before I lose it with one or the other.
I contemplate calling my parents and letting them know I’ll be coming home this weekend, but I want to surprise Vivian, and to be honest, my mom is not to be trusted. A poor trait for a psychiatrist, but I think in her professional life she abides by her oath and keeps information in strict confidentiality. Maybe I should hire her and tell her my childhood secrets, then I could sue her for breach of confidentiality every time she tells Vivian about the weak bladder I had as a child.
I’m considering calling Alex. She’s very protective of Vivian, and she and I have had a few stern words since the news of Caroline came out, but Alex has been great about sending me photos of Vivian and making sure all of my surprises are in fact, a surprise. I think I’ve managed to beg, steal, and crawl my way back onto her good side.
“Make it quick. I’m on my way to class.”
“Alex, I need a favor.”
“Big surprise. What now?”
“I’m coming home this weekend—”
“Oh my gosh! Vivian is going to freak out. She’s been missing you so much and—”
“Alex!”
“Yes?”
“I coming home just for the weekend. I’ll be flying back out here Sunday afternoon.”
“Oh … that sucks.”
“Tell me about it. Anyway, you’re the only one who knows I’m coming home and I’d like it to stay that way. But I need you to make sure she’s home Friday night. It will ruin the surprise part of my visit if I have to hunt her down when I get home.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem. She doesn’t go anywhere except to work with Maggie on Saturdays. I’m talking total nerd girl. She studies all the time. She got her first B the other day and ate a dozen Boston Kreme doughnuts … in one sitting.”
I laugh. “She told me about the B, but not the doughnuts.”
“Of course she didn’t.” Alex chuckles.
“I’ll let you go. Thanks a million. I really do appreciate all you’ve done.”
“You know I do it for Flower.”
“I know, she’s lucky to have you. Bye, Alex.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Surprise
Vivian
I love school. If money weren’t an issue, I’d make a career of it. And right now without it, I’d fall apart missing Oliver so much. We text and talk on the phone everyday and on the weekends we have Skype-X—sex via Skype. Oliver has tried to engage me in it during the week, but he’s apparently forgotten the demands of college. It’s also possible that he was a student like Alex or Sean, here for the degree and not necessarily the knowledge.
I’ve made some friends, good ones, the kind who sit in the front row and record all the lectures. A few of them have been asking me to join them for open mic night at one of the local pubs. I’ve graciously declined until today. Weekends are lonely for me, even with all the studying I do. There’s too much time to miss Oliver, especially living in his house and sleeping in his bed. So I’ve accepted their invite and I plan to drink too much wine, piss on Johnny H. on my way home, then drunk dial Oliver to see if he wants to get naked on Skype with me.
It will take more than a few drinks to get me up on stage. Oliver ruined karaoke for me since the Katy Perry-donkey-in-labor comment. It was harsh, especially considering how much I love to sing. I’ll get over it … eventually.
“Flower?”
“Upstairs,” I call from the bathroom, contemplating wearing my hair up or down.
“Whoa, look at you! Hot date?”
I grin pulling out my hair clips, opting to wear it down. “Hardly. You’ll be so proud of me. I’m going out with some friends tonight for open mic night.”
Alex deflates. “You are?”
“Yep.” I apply some lip gloss and rub my lips together.
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”
“What? You’ve been telling me for weeks to get my ass out of here and have some fun … to ‘let my hair down.’ Look…” I point to my hair “…hair down, and I’m going out.”
“Sean’s coming over and I’m making dinner, then we’re going to watch a movie. I was hoping you’d join us.”
Raising a brow, I smirk. “You were?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Hmm, karaoke with my new single friends or third-wheel dinner and a movie with my friend and her fiancé, which will no doubt end in you two making out in front of me through the whole movie? No offense, but I’m going out.”
“What can I do to make you stay?”
“What is your deal? Is there a bomb threat I don’t know about?”
“No.”
“Have you had a premonition about tonight?”
“Not exactly.” She squints and purses her lips.
“Then I’m going out and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”
I grab my black heels.
“I can’t believe you’re wearing that.”
I look down at my fitted, red strapless dress that ends just above my knees. “Why? Does it look bad?”
“No, you look like a freaking model. I was surprised when you bought it, since it shows part of your back.”
I turn and look at my back in the mirror. The upper branches reaching toward my shoulders with red and pink buds are visible even with my hair down. I shrug. “I don’t care. Oliver thinks I’m beautiful and since he’s been in my life … I’m starting to believe it too.”
I think Alex has tears in her eyes, but she hides it well with a few rapid blinks. “Come here.” She opens her arms to me and I hug her. “Flower, you’re the most beautiful person I know … inside and out. Go have fun.”
“Thanks, Alex.”
“What bar are you going to?”
“Not sure. Chelsea hasn’t messaged me the info yet.”
“Well, text me when you find out. You know, in case we have to come pick up your drunk ass.”
“Thanks, Mom, I will.”
The four of us find a table close to the front, just right of the stage. Chelsea, Felicia, and Tess have fake IDs; it never occurred to me that my new freshman friends are two years younger than I am and not of legal drinking age yet.