by Jet, M
For some reason, it made her feel like Mary.
***
After school, Olive reported directly back to her grandma's house. She quietly sat drawing in a sketchbook at the kitchen table. Olive tried not to dwell on what was to come of her uncertain future. Fleetingly, her mind took her back to other times in the cheerful, white kitchen. A tear slipped down her cheek as she remembered her handsome, silver haired Grandfather Ernest. Every afternoon, he'd sat at that same table, reading his paper, and smoking Marlboros with his small, white dog resting at his feet. How she'd loved her grandpa. It shamed Olive how disgusted he would be with her now if he were still alive. Olive wished for him now so much that her chest ached. Maybe he wouldn't be disgusted… Maybe he'd hold her and kiss her forehead and protect her. Olive still sometimes dreamt of him, and when she woke, she'd catch a slight hint of his unforgettable scent.
She also thought of other times in the kitchen. Rolling out homemade noodles on sheets of newspaper, all the card games, the laughter, and the tall tales. Would that all change? Would she be allowed to come back here? Would she ever see this place again?
Olive's Aunt Lydia entered the kitchen and took a seat across from Olive. "Hi, Olive," she said.
Olive looked at Lydia and then past her. "Hi, Lydia, is mom here with you?” she asked hopefully.
Lydia gave her a strange look Olive couldn't quite identify. Suspicion maybe? "Well, no, Olive. And since you brought it up, just what the hell do you think you're doing anyway?"
All the air rushed out of Olive like her lungs were balloons that were deflating. "Wh-what? What are you talking about?" Olive felt on the verge of hysterical tears, emotionally unprepared to be battered again.
"I'm talking about your mother, missy. She's been crying for two days. She didn't even go to work today."
Olive slid back in her chair and stood up, her defenses mounting. "I still don't know what you're talking about!"
Lydia stood up too and raised her voice. "Oh you know exactly what I'm talking about, young lady! Moving in with your dad? Really? After everything your mom and George have done for you? Your life is here and your FAMILY is here! How could you leave her?"
Olive blinked rapidly, mouth hanging open for about the thousandth time in the past few days. "Lydia, I don't want to move in with him, jeeze, he obviously doesn’t even want me there. Mom's making him take me, just like she's making me go!"
Lydia frowned deeply with narrowed eyes. Olive could hardly believe the treatment she received from one of her favorite people. A piece of Olive's heart splintered. "I find that a little hard to believe, Olive," Lydia countered, a little more calmly.
"Oh really, you do?" Olive implored frantically throwing her hands up in the air. "Why? Because I lie to you so much? Or because I've ever once told anybody that I want to move in with dad? I really don't care what you think," Olive concluded, moving to exit the room.
"Wait, Olive," Lydia relented with a much kinder tone of voice. "Listen, I don't think your mom knows you don't want to go."
Olive replied with a frustrated groan, continuing to be lost about how she could possibly be so grossly misunderstood by all the people she loved.
Lydia continued. "Why don't I take you home and you can just tell her you don't want to go?"
Olive shook her head. "No! I don't want to fight anymore! If she wants me to leave, I'm just going to go."
Lydia wrapped her arms around her niece, despite Olive's resistance. "Yes, come on. Let's go home. Don't give up on your mom."
Lydia and Olive ventured out into the blustery, gray day and made the short journey across town to Olive's house.
***
When they arrived, Leonora sat at the kitchen table sipping coffee. She looked tense, but Olive thought she detected a trace of happiness reflected in her eyes upon seeing her daughter arrive.
"Ok, Olive, tell her," Lydia urged, cutting to the chase with gentle prodding.
Olive took a deep breath. "Mom, I'm sorry. I don't want to live with dad. Please don't make me leave."
Leonora lurched up from the table and in one swift movement, encircled Olive in a fierce embrace. She cried. "I'm sorry too, honey. You don’t have to go if you don't want to."
And with that, disaster had been averted. Life slipped instantly back to where it had been Saturday afternoon and the fight ended. Both Olive and Leonora remained clueless to the true feelings of the other, and silently agreed that ignorance was more comfortable.
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Bird Feed
Mojo
High on Her
Female/Female Romance and Ménage Titles:
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Harem
Unshine the Sun
Limelight
Pins and Needles
I Am Leviathan
The Plain Black Door
Death Wind
I Killed Collette
Burn It Down
Mary Contrary
Six For Gold
Throw Him Down the Stairs
End In Fire
M Jet is an internationally bestselling author, wife, mom, artist, fortune teller, and witch.
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