The Greatest Mind I Ever Knew

Chapter 17: Something To Tell You

Time always slowed when Lotan wasn't around. I knew as soon as I stepped into my house that I wouldn't see him again for hours, not until 1:00 tomorrow afternoon, and that proved to be an incredibly long wait. Though my family served as a distraction (Dad was still a bit annoyed with me, Mum was having a difficult time taming her alters and Leonardo had no end of teasing things to say), and I spent a lot time sleeping, everything seemed so dull again without Lotan around to brighten it up.
               As I've written already, Dad wasn't too angry about my disappearance anymore by the time I got home. Getting there at 9:15 definitely didn't impress him, but the first thing he said to me when I opened the door was,
'Well it's good to see you're still alive - just late, as usual.'
               Leo came jumping down the stairs and chimed in,
'What happened, Liv? Did Lotan write you another song and you turned weak and just had to kiss him with your tongue and everything?'
               Too happy to be annoyed by the teenager, I simply grinned and said,
'Actually yes, that's pretty much exactly what happened.'
               Suddenly Dad and my brother pulled disgusted faces. But Mum entered the living room from the kitchen, saying,
'He wrote you another song!? What does it sound like?'
               I smiled again and hugged her when she reached out to me, glad to see me home and well.
'I'm afraid this one is for my ears only, Mum. Sorry. And I'm really sorry I disappeared earlier -'
'No, no,' she sighed and kissed me a few times, 'don't apologise. Just never do it again, or Julie will throttle you - unless your dad does first!'
'She's not joking.' Dad said seriously, but even with that comment on his lips he reached out and hugged me too. Then he murmured, 'Sorry I got mad. I just want to protect you, bambina. You know I always want to protect my family.'
               I was about to thank him for being so patient when he drew back and added, 'And you owe me twenty pounds for the petrol I wasted driving around London looking for you today.'
'Plus a tenner for his labour!' Leo added unhelpfully. But I only smiled wider, hugged my dad again and said,
'Thank you. I love you guys. And Dad, I'm happy to report that Lotan is not a bastard, or a cheat or a - well, he's not anything I thought he was. I was wrong. I judged him too quickly - again. He's perfect.'
               Dad's shoulders relaxed and he exhaled.
'Good, good. Buono.'
               He didn't ask me any more about my afternoon with Lotan, but I was sure Mum would have grilled me for all the gory details if Emilia, a three year old alter of hers who was very sweet and never aged, hadn't taken over her body for the rest of the evening.

I went to bed around eleven after brushing my teeth, brushing my hair and changing my clothes. Lotan and I texted for a bit but I fell asleep half way through our conversation. In the morning I woke up to a message which said,

I think you sleeping well, ma chérie. For me it is good. I leave for work soon but I will going home for early at 1 o'clock. I love you very very very very very! Xoxo gros bisous

I was typing out a reply when my phone started buzzing. Andrea was phoning me. I quickly answered it and said,
'Hi, Andy!'
'Olivia!' she beamed. 'You picked up! I was just thinking about you, and I thought 'oh well, I know she won't answer but I'll try again anyway', and you actually picked up! How are you doing?'
               I gulped, feeling guilty for having frozen her out for so long.
'I'm, I'm actually doing great.' I told her timidly. 'I think I was, um, in a depression, but I've come out of it now. I'm so happy, Andy. I'd forgotten how good life could be!'
'That's great news!' my best friend cheered, her excited noise making me wince. 'What's changed? I know I didn't help you much.'
'You tried.' I assured her. 'You did everything you could to help me! You visited and offered me everything I could have wanted and you messaged me all the time... I just couldn't let you help me. I don't think I would have ever climbed out of that horrible pit I was in if it hadn't been for Lotan.'
'What? Lotan!?'
'Yeah.' I smiled giddily to myself. 'We're together again, Andy. You know how I thought I'd seen him dancing with this other girl? Well it was all just a big misunderstanding. He wasn't flirting or trying to hurt me, he was just, pretending! He was as desperate as I was.'
'That sounds like a line a charming playboy would give you, Liv.' Andy said nervously. I chuckled.
'I know it does, but trust me, I know what I'm doing. Lotan didn't do anything with Faith. He just danced with her so he could pretend she was me. He used her.'
'And how do you know he's not using you?'
               I stopped and thought about it.
'Well,' I shrugged, lowering my voice, 'because I know him. He's always looking out for me, you know. When we're making love he always makes sure I'm enjoying it as much as he is, and he always makes sure I've slept enough and eaten enough and I'm feeling good. He really looks after me, Andy. And not in a sleazy way! In a, in a,' I smiled, 'husbandy sort of way.'
               Andy squealed.
'Really!? That's so exciting, Olivia! I'm coming down there.'
'What!?'
'It's early in the day and I'm not working - and you can't work yet, right? Good! I'm coming to see you then! I'll be there in two hours.'
'Wait, wait!' I laughed, 'Andy, I've planned to go and see him today at one.'
'Then I will get you there in time, lovebird, with something sexy to put on for him.' Andy said teasingly. 'I can kill time while you have your lunch date, and then we can go to the cinema later! I want to watch that new film, you know, the one with Ryan Gosling in it.'
'Alright then.' I said, relaxing with warm excitement. 'I can't wait!'