The Dream Is Not Over

Lemmings

River and Olivia are driving down to the house to stay with me before their engagement party and I have been cleaning, and preparing for them all day. His room is tidy and there are fresh towels and potpourri in the bathroom. There are about a million delicious things to eat in the fridge and in the cupboards, I've vacuumed, mopped and dusted until I'm thoroughly satisfied with my work. I am finished just in time to trade my leggings for a skirt, refresh my makeup and sort out my hair before they arrive. The doorbell rings just as I come downstairs and I squeal with excitement.

"My boy!" I exclaim, hugging my handsome son. "Olivia, you look gorgeous!" She embraces me tightly and smiles brightly.

"No, Stevie, you're gorgeous!"

"You're too sweet. Come in. I'm sure you're tired from driving all day." I make a space and let them walk in. "Want me to get your bags?" I offer and River shakes his head.

"Don't you dare. I'll get them." He kisses my cheek then Olivia's and hurries back out to his car.

"I still cannot get over how beautiful you are!" Olivia compliments.

"Thank you."

"There's something different about you, but I can't quite—"

"I'm back!" River says, setting down a retro printed suitcase and a black duffel bag. Olivia is still scanning me with her large brown eyes and I move toward my son.

"Heard anything from your father?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"Not today. I have his phone number though, if you want it. Speaking of, can I use the phone? I told him I'd call when I got here."

"Of course, honey."

He smiles, passing me to use the phone in the hall. Olivia gives me a smile. "I think I know what it is!"

"Oh, do you?" I become nervous, crossing my arms over my chest, closing my oversized cardigan in the process.

"You changed your perfume!" She's right because apparently, this baby hates Chanel no. 5.

"I did, it's lighter. I wanted to try something new."

"I like it."

"Thank you." The wavy haired blonde tosses her hair over her shoulder and strokes River's face when he returns to us. We walk into the living room and sit down. "So have you guys eaten?"

"Yeah, on the way down but if you're hungry, mom, I can still eat." River says and I chuckle.

"Of course you can, you're a Buckingham. Your father could eat us out of house and home and still ask for dessert." My son chewed his lip, averting his gaze. "What?"

"About dad...um, he's coming over tonight."

"He's what?" My eyes grow wide and I raise my voice though I don't mean to.

"I told him we were here and well, he said he wanted to be here too."

"And he knows I'm here, doesn't he?"

"I'm sure that's part of why he wants to be here too."

"Fuck" I mouth and River chuckles.

"Smooth, mom."

"Hush. I'm going to go make a pie or something." I get up abruptly and race into the kitchen. I hear the two of them whispering, until one of them gets up and stands at the doorway.

"Stevie" the voice says and I turn around, tying my apron around my waist. It's Olivia, her hands jammed into the back pockets of her faded jeans. Her 'Free Hugs' tee shirt is tucked in and she has a long scarf woven through the belt loops of her jeans. Her boots are similar to mine- suede with a high platform and slender heel. She removed one hand from her pocket and tucks a wavy tendril behind her ear. "Can we talk about something?"

"Sure, sweetheart." I lean against the counter and wait for her to approach.

"Um, I know it's none of my business but I can't help but notice you and Mr Buckingham have hit kind of a rough patch." You can say that again! But instead of saying a word, I just nod, dropping my gaze to my boots. "See, my mom and dad have had some hard times too. I know they're not super successful rock stars like you guys but one time my dad tilled the whole yard one afternoon because he wanted to be a peanut farmer, and raise livestock. My mom was livid because she had just laid the grass seed. He ruined all of her hard work and they got into a really big fight. My dad slept in a tee pee for a week, refusing to apologize until she bought him a small flock of laying hens." I look up at her and her big brown eyes are so wide and innocent.

"So you think I should buy him a small flock of laying hens?"

She giggles. "No, my mom didn't either. She didn't give in but what she did do, is she stayed in that tee pee with him and they made wild, passionate love under the full moon. The next morning, things were totally fine. I mean, I know that sex doesn't fix everything but maybe he needs to just chill out. You guys can reconnect, body mind and spirit."

"Sex was never our problem, sweet girl." I stroke her face and she smiles.

"I had a feeling you'd say that." She winks at me and I blush, hiding my pink cheeks with my hair as I look away from her. "So how about this, why don't you get his address from Riv and like, go over there. Like my mom who chose to meet my dad in his tee pee even though she knew what he did was not just disrespectful but totally stupid."

"Hmm..." She might be on to something.

"Or that time my dad accidentally left my mom at the rainforest rally. He had dropped acid with this guy he thought was an Indian chief when really, he was just a really big fan of The Village People. He totally zoned out and took the skoolie, not even realizing my mom wasn't with him. Wow, was my mom pissed! She had to hitchhike five miles into town and lure him into a diner promising peyote and um...other rewards...but she eventually got him sobered up. They laugh about it now."

"Honey, I know you're trying to help but how does this apply to Lindsey and I."

"I don't know. I guess the moral of my stories were, guys can be really stupid and it's up to us girls to save them from themselves. We should forgive them, even if they don't apologize because they're totally clueless. Without us, they're lemmings. You know, those little furry creatures that would jump into the water one after another during the dinosaur days and drown?" We look at each other and start giggling uncontrollably. River enters the look and gives us a strange look.

"Are you ladies...okay?" We take one look at his adorably confused expression and continue giggling.