Destiny (13 page)

I
did the only thing I could. I took her in my arms and held her close. The most
important man in her life had left her alone, and I was determined to never
make that same mistake. Through thick and thin, I would always be by her side. As
I was thinking about how I had to always be there for her, Olivia pulled away
and started to get out.

“What
are you doing?” I asked.

“I
need to go. Truthfully, I don’t know for sure where I’m going, but I can’t stay
here for another minute.”

“You’ll
come home with me. If you can’t face your mom yet, then you can stay at my
place until you’re ready.”

“Your
aunt and uncle won’t go for that.”

“Yeah,
they will. They’re not going to let us sleep in the same room or anything like
that, but you can take my room while I sleep on the couch. I’ll drive you to my
house, and we can come back for your car tomorrow. You don’t need to drive
while you’re this upset.”

“I’ll
be fine. Just follow behind me,” Olivia said and gave me a quick peck on the
lips before getting out.

That
small gesture of appreciation was the first positive sign I had seen out of her
since we got the news of her father’s death. It was such a small thing, but it
gave me hope that she was going to pull through this. As I followed her back to
my house, I called her mom. I knew that Olivia wouldn’t approve, but I had to
let her know something.

“Hello,”
Ms. Winters said.

“Hey,
this is Eric. I found her. We’re on the way back to my house right now.”

“I’ll
be waiting on you. Thank you so much.”

“I
don’t think that’s such a good idea. She’s still really angry, and if you come
over right now, it’s only going to result in her running off again. I know I
haven’t given you a good reason to, but please trust me on this. I’m going to
sleep on the couch tonight and let her have my room. By morning, I’m sure
she’ll have cooled off enough to talk to you about everything.”

“Did
she tell you why she was mad at me?”

“She
did.”

“I
don’t want you to think I’m heartless, Eric. I had a lot of reasons to keep
Olivia away from Charles.”

“I’m
not judging you. I’m sure you did. Right now, all I really care about is that
Olivia’s all right, and I think her getting through this is going to have a lot
to do with her ability to forgive you. A little time and space will go a long
way in helping her do that. You’re her mom, though. If you want to try to talk
to her tonight, then that’s your call. I just want things to work out for you
two as best they can.”

“Do
you really think one night will make a difference?”

“I
do. Just trust me. I’ll talk to her more about forgiving you before morning. By
the time you come over, she’ll be ready to at least hear you out.”

“All
right, we’ll try it your way.”

After
I was off the phone and had pulled into the driveway, I led Olivia inside. I
quickly explained everything to my aunt and uncle and saw that it was going to
be fine for her to stay, as expected. We ate dinner together, and then I showed
Olivia to my room. My aunt and uncle quickly directed me to the couch. That was
okay, though. It wasn’t like I had any intentions of sleeping with her after
everything that had gone on.

After
all the lights had been turned off and everyone except for Olivia and I were
asleep, I heard soft cries coming from upstairs. She was upset. I wasn’t
supposed to go into that bedroom until the next morning, but I couldn’t stay
away knowing that she was hurting. I quietly walked upstairs and snuck into the
room. Then I lay down beside Olivia and wrapped my arms around her. I kissed
her forehead and wiped the tears away.

“Thank
you, but you don’t need to be in here. If your aunt and uncle catch you, you’re
going to be grounded for life.”

“I
disagree. I think I’m exactly where I need to be. I love you, and I’m here for
you.”

She
laid her head on my chest, and we drifted away. I learned something that night.
No matter what was going on in our lives, as long as we ended each day
together, we could get through anything.

Chapter 13

Futures

The
next day, my aunt and uncle discovered Olivia and me in the bed. It didn’t seem
to matter much. I think they knew that the situation was innocent. Olivia had
needed me, and I was there for her. Letting her mother be there for her would
be a bit harder, however. They talked the next morning, and Olivia ended up
going home. I didn’t get the feeling that she had actually forgiven her mom for
anything that happened, though. Finding the strength to do that was going to
take a lot of time, and I didn’t know if she would ever find it in her heart to
leave behind everything that had been stolen from her.

The
days passed by quickly leading up to the funeral. It was set for the day before
Christmas Eve. That wasn’t ideal for anyone, but it couldn’t be helped. I was there
for her through it all, as best I could be. When it was all over, I got the
feeling that she was finally at peace with things. Sure, she was still
mourning, and she had a long way to go in finding complete forgiveness for her
mom, but a lot of the battle was over. She had accepted that her dad was gone,
and she wasn’t blaming people for it anymore.

I
slept peacefully the night after the funeral not knowing that a surprise
awaited me the next morning. When I awoke, I heard the sound of the front door
opening and eventually went downstairs to see my sister sitting at the table
with my aunt and uncle.

“Hey,
I forgot to say anything with all that’s happened lately, but Catherine called
a couple of days ago and said she was going to spend Christmas with us,” Aunt Kristen
said.

I
was glad to see my sister, but it was strange. She looked so much different.
The girl I knew when I left Miami was just that - a girl. The person sitting at
that table was more than that. She was a woman. The spoiled girl I had once
known was gone, and even if she used to irritate me, I missed her.

“I’m
glad you’re here,” I said.

“Let’s
leave Eric and Catherine alone for a little while so they can catch up,” Uncle
Gary said, and they walked out of the room.

It
was awkward as I sat down beside my sister. A part of me wanted to hug her
right then, but we never had that kind of relationship. How should I react to
the one piece of family I had left? Thankfully, she did the reacting for me.
Catherine hugged me without saying a word. It was a firmer hug than she had
ever given me. It was as if she thought I would slip away if she let go.

“All
right, don’t suffocate me now,” I joked.

“I’ve
just missed you. I never thought I would say that about
you
, but I didn’t know how good we had it until everything was
taken away.”

“I
know exactly what you mean. You seem different, though. How have things been
going back at home?”

“I
enrolled at Miami. I’m taking some classes in accounting, and I’m working at a
restaurant downtown for money. I have a little apartment off campus. It’s
nothing compared to the place where we grew up, but it’s become home. I know
you have a good life here, and our aunt and uncle were just telling me about
how great things are going for you in school and with Olivia, but my place is
big enough for two people. I told you I would find us a place and come back for
you after I got on my feet. Now, I’m ready to keep that promise.”

“What
are you asking me?”

“Well,
I came here for two reasons. One was because I didn’t want to spend the
holidays without at least one member of my family. The other was because I want
to let you know in person that you’re always welcome to live with me. I know
you probably want to stay here because I’m sure you’ve settled in at school,
but if you ever need a place to stay or just want to see your sister, you’ll
have a home.”

“Thank
you. I think I need to stay here for now. I’ve got something really good going on
with Olivia and some new friends. I don’t know what I’m doing for college,
though. I was thinking about going to Miami after high school. Whether I do
that depends on how things work out with Olivia. If I go there in a year and a
half, would that offer still stand?”

“Of
course it would. I’m glad you’re happy here.”

“I’m
happy that you’ve found your way, too. I have to admit something, however. I
can’t picture you as a broke college student working as a waitress at some
restaurant. It’s just bizarre to think about when you consider who we were a
few months ago.”

“I
know what you mean. It was definitely an adjustment. When you’ve always had
more than enough, it can be a shock to live paycheck to paycheck. What about
you? I’ve been writing Aunt Kristen, and I heard all about your little
all-nighter with that girl next door. From what I’ve been hearing, my brother
is actually in love.”

“Why
is that so odd?”

“Let’s
just say that you never struck me as the type to fall in love so easily. Chastity
loved you back at home, and I never got the feeling that you even cared for
her. She still asks about you. She actually found me a few weeks ago. I think
she misses you. I guess what I’m wondering is what makes this girl so special?”

“Everything.
Sometimes you just know when you’re with the right person. I’m hoping when I
come back after I graduate that she’ll come with me.”

“Eric,
you’ve still got a lot to learn.”

“What
do you mean?”

“High
school relationships don’t last. They fizzle out. I’m not saying that what you
have with her isn’t special, but I don’t want to see you count on your
relationship with her being what defines you. There
are
other options, and one day you might have to explore some of
them.”

“I
hope you’re wrong about that.”

“Me,
too. If I’m not, though, I hope you’ll still explore the option of coming home.
I miss you.”

“I’ve
missed you, too, and of course I’m going to come home eventually. Mom and Dad
will get out sooner or later, so I have to come back.”

“I
would count on the later option. I think they’ll be in there for at least the
next decade. Let’s not talk about that, though. It’s Christmas. What do you say
we do the thing we always used to do on Christmas Eve?”

“You
mean our tradition of blowing off all the family get-togethers to go to a
movie? I thought you were just using me to get away from all of our relatives
back then,” I teased.

“I
was. I think I would miss it if we didn’t keep that tradition, though. Even if
you
are
a little weird, you’re still
my brother. You can even invite Olivia if you want to. I hear that she’s had a
hard time lately. She could probably use a pick-me-up.”

I
agreed and got ready. When I went over to Olivia’s house to invite her, she
seemed more than happy to come along. Truthfully, I think getting out of the
house was the best thing for her. Doing nothing but staring at her mom only
reminded her of what she still felt like was stolen from her. Going out, on the
other hand, provided her with the opportunity to pretend that nothing had ever
happened, if only for a couple of hours.

Once
we were at the movies, we quickly got our tickets and went inside. The girls
said they didn’t want to get any snacks, so we went into the screening room
immediately. We were early, though, and after a few minutes, my sister changed
her mind, or at least I thought she did.

“Hey,
I think I’m going to get something, after all. Why don’t you come with me,
Olivia? I wouldn’t mind talking to you about my brother for a minute,”
Catherine said.

Olivia
agreed to walk with her. I had no idea why she wanted to talk to my girlfriend,
and honestly, I was a little worried. What could they be talking about? My mind
ran wild with thoughts of what my sister could possibly be saying. Olivia would
end up telling me everything later on. When they left the screening room, my
sister started asking Olivia a few questions. She had to know that I was with a
good girl.

“You
don’t know me very well, but we both care about Eric. Do you mind if I ask you
a few questions to make sure he’s in good hands here?” Catherine asked.

“I
don’t mind. Go ahead.”

“First
off, are you all right? I heard about what happened with your dad.”

“I’m
fine. Actually, that’s not true, but I don’t want to talk about it. I want to
try to forget everything that’s happened for tonight.”

“Well,
I’m really sorry for your loss. I probably shouldn’t ask you these kinds of
questions right now considering . . .”

“No,
it’s fine. You’re his sister, and I understand if you want to get to know me.”

“All
right, then. Tell me this. What does my brother mean to you?”

“Everything.
I love him. Without Eric, I don’t know how I would have gotten through this. He
makes me laugh when I need to, and he’s always there for me when I need a
friend. He’s my best friend, but he’s also so much more.”

“I’m
glad to hear that. I only asked because I think he’s really into you. When he
talks about you, his eyes light up in a way I’ve never seen before. I wanted to
make sure he wasn’t expecting more out of your relationship than you were.”

“He’s
not. We’re still very young, and I know anything can change, but I wouldn’t
mind being married to someone like Eric one day. In fact, I think we’ll end up
together when it’s all said and done.”

“So
you don’t mind coming to Miami then?”

“What
do you mean?”

“Eric
plans to go to college there. I’m sure he would stay for you, but I know he
always wanted to go there. I guess what I’m asking is this. Are you willing to
follow him if he does leave?”

“I
haven’t thought that far ahead. I didn’t even know he wanted to go there. I
guess it makes sense that he would go back home at some point. I can’t say what
life will be like then or if I would be willing to follow him, but I know this
in my heart. Our paths are intertwined. If he has to leave and I can’t go, then
we’ll find our way back to each other eventually.”

“I
like you, Olivia. I think you really love my brother, and I can see you’re not
going to hold him back from anything. I’m glad he’s found someone so
wonderful,” Catherine said and talked about other things while they got some
popcorn.

While
they were walking back to the screening room, Olivia kept coming back to what
Catherine said. She couldn’t shake the thought of me leaving her. Olivia hadn’t
known when, but at some point, she had grown more attached to me than she knew
was possible. During the movie, she grabbed my hand and held it tightly. It was
as if she thought that if she let go, I would be gone forever.

When
the movie was over and we went back home, Olivia asked me to stay with her for
a moment. After my sister drove across the street to my aunt and uncle’s house,
we sat down on the porch, and she sighed. I could tell that something was
wrong. She had been looking at me strangely since she and my sister went off
alone.

“What’s
going on, Olivia? I know Catherine can be a bit much, and I don’t know what she
said, but you can’t let it get to you.”

“She
only asked me what I thought of you and told me you might be going to Miami in
the future. At first, I was fine with that. I thought that if you left we would
find our way back to each other just like before. The more I thought about it,
the more I felt insecure, though.”

“It’s
not written in stone that I’m going to Miami. It’s just an option. You
shouldn’t feel insecure either way. I found my way back to you once. I can do
it again.”

“I
know that, but what if you don’t? A lot can change over four years, and I don’t
want to be away from you that long. I don’t know how it happened, but I think I
grew to love you a little more than I meant to. I wanted us to have the type of
relationship where it was just fun. I didn’t want to have a serious
conversation about our future this soon. With everything that happened with my
dad, though, I’ve changed. I’ve learned that you can’t waste time not being
with the people you love. I’m going to ask you for something that’s selfish, but
I feel like I have to. Eric, don’t leave me. Go somewhere close. If there’s one
person I don’t want to leave, it’s you.”

“I
promise that I’ll never leave you. I think my sister wants me to come home some
day, but I’ll never leave this place unless you’re with me.”

“No,
you don’t really need to promise me that. I don’t know what I’m thinking. I
can’t be that controlling girl who holds her boyfriend back. Catherine said
that you wanted to go to the University of Miami when you were younger. I don’t
want to stand in the way of any dreams you have.”

“Olivia,
you’re not standing in the way of anything. I’ll admit that I always wanted to
go to school there. You’re my dream now, though. If I can somehow have both, of
course I’ll go to college there, but you’re the number one priority in my life.
If it means us ending up together, then I would give up anything.”

“I don’t
want you to give up anything for me, though. I think you would resent me
later.”