Loverboy

I think he just hasn't quite wrapped his head around it

"Psst," Echo whispered to Ollie. The sisters were in the now-empty dining room, just the two of them. Their parents had stolen away Pierre to interrogate him, and Solaris was somewhere in the living room. "I have something I want to tell you."

Ollie leaned in toward her sister. She rarely saw her, since most of the year she was at school, and since 1971, Echo lived with her husband. So these occasional reprieves where they didn't have to send owls back and forth and could instead just talk were a welcome change in routine.

"What is it?" Ollie whispered eagerly.

"I'm going to have a baby," Echo replied, beaming.

Ollie gasped and hugged her sister. "Oh, Echo! That's amazing!"

"I know," Echo said. "Except for throwing up in the middle of the night. It drives Solaris crazy."

"Isn't he excited?"

"Sure, he is. I think he just hasn't quite wrapped his head around it." Echo paused. "It still doesn't feel entirely real."

"Oh, I'm going to be an auntie!" Ollie exclaimed. "How far along are you, anyways?"

Echo caressed her stomach. "A couple months," she said. "It's felt like a year, but it hasn't been anywhere near that long."

"Wow," Ollie said. "This is so exciting."

"It is, isn't it," Echo said. "But, oh, I should go home, I'm exhausted. I'll write you."

"Okay. I missed you," Ollie said. "D'you know if it's a boy or a girl yet?"

"Not yet," Echo replied. "I'm hoping for a girl. I hope she's like you. You were an adorable child."

Ollie smiled. "Oh, I'm sure your daughter will have someone better than me to look up to." 

"Whatever you say." Echo glanced at the doorway. "I've missed you so much. But I need to rest. For the baby, you know. I love you, Ollie." She stood up slowly.

"Goodbye, Echo," Ollie said. "I hope everything goes well. Really. I love you."

Echo gave a ginger smile, and with that, ducked out of the room.

Ollie stayed put in the dining room. She loved her sister, really, but sometimes she hated hearing news from her life. Echo always had big news, and Ollie always had nothing to show for their time apart. She loved hearing good things from her sister's life, but she hated how she looked in comparison.

A gentle knock on the open door broke Ollie out of her brewing melancholy. She turned around to see James standing there.

"Where's Lily?" Ollie asked. "You two seemed to be getting on quite well."

James sauntered to the table, leaning against the chair beside Ollie. "Mary wanted to show her something, and I was told to piss off."

"And you did? Wow, James, she's really got you whipped," Ollie teased.

James rolled his eyes, grinning. "Why aren't you in the party, anyway? They're looking for you."

"I was talking to Echo, she just left."

"Come on," James said, holding his hand out to Ollie. "The people want you so badly."

Ollie's lips broke into a smile. "I've got to give the people what they want," she said, getting up.

The two walked back into the living room, which was buzzing with people. Ollie scanned the room for her family.

Solaris and Echo were arguing while Ollie's parents desperately tried to mediate their fight. Pierre sat on the couch, glancing around nervously. Finally his eyes met Ollie's across the room, and he smiled.

She made a line for the couch, and as soon as she was there, she interjected in the conversation. "I'm so glad you guys came, I missed you," she said, interrupting Solaris's muttering at his wife. "I see you took the car, that's a long way here, isn't it?"

"Olivia, we should be going," her mother said, tightly embracing Ollie. Then she whispered in her ear, "You picked a good one."

"See you in summer, Olivia," her father said, patting her shoulder. 

"Aw, bye," Ollie said. "I'll write you, I promise."

Mr. Sato turned to Pierre. "Young man." He reached out and shook his hand firmly. "You be good to my daughter."

Pierre glanced at Ollie before nodding. "Yes, sir," he replied. "I would've done it anyway."

Solaris huffed, and he dragged Echo along with him. Ollie's parents followed, so it was just Ollie and Pierre standing by the couch.

Pierre reached over and took Ollie's hand, guiding her to sit down. "You didn't come rescue me from your parents," he joked.

Ollie laughed. "I was talking to my sister," she replied. "Were they bad?"

Pierre smiled and put his arm around Ollie's shoulder. "They're just looking out for you, love, I know that. I was nervous though."

"Did they ask any particularly awful questions?" Ollie asked, leaning in against her boyfriend's side.

"Oh, just standard fanfare," he said. "'What are your intentions? Why do you deserve our daughter's affections? Where were you the night of July 17th, 1973?' You know how it is."

"Of course, of course," she said. "So they weren't too hard on you?"

"Not even close. I think I made a good impression, though."

"Good. I wish I was there for moral support."

"I wouldn't need it, though. I managed just fine."

Ollie kissed Pierre's jaw. "I know,"  she said through her smile. "You always do."

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biannual drop guys hahahaha kidding! um yeah lowkey filler but some things are coming to fruition... also i had to get through this to get to the chapter ive waited months to write... 

839 words