Forbidden

Chapter Thirty

Olivia watched from her bedroom balcony as the moving truck came to life and turned off of the drive. Is this what free really felt like? Her Daddy was in Heaven now, looking down and surely smiling and her mother was on her way to some undisclosed place in Fort Myers, Florida and Olivia could feel her tension relax. She took a deep breath and began walking through the upstairs to see what all Liz had taken with her. First, Olivia checked in her father’s closet. His clothes were still neatly hung on wooden hangers and his scent escaped as soon as Olivia opened the door. The furniture was still in its place in every room of the house. The only things Olivia found that were missing were Liz’s clothing, her vanity, shoes, and the two rocking chairs that sat on the back porch overlooking the colorful backyard.

            Liz and Marshall would spend their nights drinking tea and sitting in utter silence rocking in the chairs listening to the crickets play their song. Olivia smiled at the sight of the rockers being gone. Maybe Liz actually did care for Marshall after all. Olivia shut the French doors and turned towards the front part of the house to invite Nick inside, but he had already been standing in the entryway.

“What in the world is goin’ on? Where’d she go?” Nick asked.

“She uh—left me the house. She’s movin’ to Florida. It’s all ours.”

            Olivia slid herself into the dining room chair and placed her hands over her face.

“Is it just me or are things gettin’ really weird? I mean, really?”

            Nick sat across from Olivia sharing the same dumbfounded look that Olivia had.

“Things are uh—definitely a little strange.”

“I mean, did she really just leave? Did she really just leave me the house?”

“According to the paperwork, that’s exactly what happened.”

“But she left without a fight, without takin’ much of anything. She just decided to leave?”

            Nick shrugged his shoulders finding it difficult to respond.

“Do you think I should feel alone or neglected or somethin’?”

“Why should you?”

            Olivia stood from her chair and began pacing back and forth on the multi-colored wood slats that lined the dining room floor.

“My Daddy’s gone, and God knows I would give up everything to have him back even if just for a day. My Momma just up and left out of nowhere, left me with the house, me who she clearly is not fond of. My parents are both gone.”

“Baby, you’re Daddy is always around. I think that’s the reason why you’ve been able to stay so strong throughout this whole situation. I think it’s why you’re finding peace in the situation rather than dwelling on what you can’t change. I admire you for that. Your Momma was just a thorn in your side, right? And vice versa apparently. Maybe she just realized that she was tired of bein’ someone she wasn’t and got tired of purposely bringing you down.”

            Olivia nodded. It made sense, after all. Maybe Liz really did think long and hard about the kind of life she was living and without her husband around, she felt no need to stay in the house. Maybe Liz realized that Olivia would be on her own soon, anyway and that she no longer needed her mother.

“This is just crazy, though Nick. I’ve always wanted to stay here, but . . . lookin’ around, it’s so empty with no one here. What am I supposed to do in this house?”

            Nick stood from his seat at the dining table and wrapped his arms around Olivia. She grabbed on to his biceps and felt the strength pouring from them; strength that she needed. He brushed her hair off her shoulder and kissed her neck.

“Make it your own. Redecorate it to better suit your taste. One day, there will be plenty of little monsters running around her destroyin’ the walls with crayons and sticking gum in the DVD player and spilling juice all over the white carpet in the sitting room,” he laughed.

“My children will not be little monsters,” she joked. “You rent, don’t you?”

“I do, why?”

“Well how about instead of me movin’ in with you, you break your lease and come stay with me in this big empty house?”

“It’s not empty. It has plenty of furniture,” he winked.

“Funny. I actually meant it’s empty because it would just be me here all alone. You wouldn’t want me to have to feel all alone, would you?”

“I see what you’re doin’. You can quit with the pouty face, too before I have to kiss it off of you.”

“That’s not much of a threat, darlin’,” she said.

“How about this. Let’s keep doin’ what we’ve been doin’ and the day you graduate, I’ll already have half of my things moved in, my landlord won’t hate me for just up and leavin’ and we’ll start our lives together—officially.”

“You mean, we take shifts with who stays where and all that?”

“Exactly.”

“And then after gradua—“

“And then after graduation,” he continued, “I will have all of my useless junk here and we’ll live happily ever after.”

“Don’t we need to be married first to live happily ever after?”

“Don’t you need to plan first before a wedding can take place?”

            Olivia thought for a moment.

“I have a much better idea that doesn’t involve a million details.”

“Well let’s hear it, then.”

“My Momma went to Fort Myers because it was Daddy’s favorite place, right? So, what if we went there and did just like a really private ceremony and then we could just honeymoon while we’re there?”

“What about Kenley and all your friends here? They’d want to be a part of it.”

“We could have a big party when we come back and invite whoever the hell wants to come.”

“Alright. One stipulation. We’ll drive to Fort Myers the night of your graduation and spend a week or so there, and I can make you my wife, and you can make me your husband, or slave, whatever you want,” he winked.

“Three months. I just wanna graduate now!”