by Blythe Stone
I walked over to the table and took two chocolate croissants and put them on one of the plates that were stacked next to the boxes of pastries.
“Who are they,” I whispered.
“Shhhh,” Olivia whispered, watching over at them to make sure they hadn’t heard. “They’re cooking,” she said. “They have a process. Mom usually hires out.”
“Holy shit,” I said, looking at one of the women as she walked toward the cutting board. “I think I’ve seen her on the Food Network.”
“Avery,” Olivia said, that tone of warning in her as she tugged me to follow her away from the kitchen and into the house.
“What? It was cool is all,” I said, following.
We ended up in the entryway where the staircase started. The huge Christmas tree rose above us at least fifteen feet high ahead in the living room. It was decorated from top to bottom with glass ornaments and white lights. It was the kind of fancy tree that looked more like a work of art than a family Christmas tree.
“I never get over this tree when I walk in here,” I said, tugging at one of the live branches as we approached.
“You look a little scrumptious right here,” Olivia whispered, watching me. She moved around me and went to sit down on the couch and pull up her phone from her pocket to play. It pointed at me and I knew she was taking a picture.
“Would you like me to pose?” I teased.
I did, pulling a face and turning my head to the side.
“Maybe on top of me,” she joked darkly.
“Oh, sex jokes, now you’re just dirty,” I said.
“I have no problem with that.”
She stared at me.
“What would the parents think?” I teased.
“Probably, that I was healthy,” she shrugged, rationalizing.
“Ah, well that’s true. You have a very healthy libido,” I conceded.
“Ew,” Olivia said, lowering her phone and then staring down at it as she played.
I laughed and turned back to the tree, taking a bite of my croissant.
“This is good,” I mumbled with a full mouth.
“I wouldn’t know,” she said, bullying me.
“You want?” I asked, walking over and holding the plate out.
She was adorable all miffed and turned on at the same time. I loved dressing up and seeing how she reacted.
“I dunno,” she said. “It feels like a trap.”
“No trap. I’m just trying to make you full and happy,” I promised, crossing my heart.
“Mmhmm,” she said, staring at me. “Definitely a trap.”
“Olivia Eaton Holbrook, you should know better than that,” I scolded.
“Oh fuuuuck,” her voice raised in pitch melodically but it wasn’t loud.
“Psh, eat, my dear,” I teased.
“I’d better starve,” she said. “It’d feed my constitution. I did hear precious word of coffee though. Was that a myth?”
“You should have this and the coffee,” I said, putting the plate in her hands and taking the pastry I’d already bitten.
“No troubling the help,” she whispered adamantly.
“The help,” I said.
I went toward the kitchen and knew Olivia was following even though her bare feet made no sound on the floor.
“Just looking for some coffee,” I said.
“Certainly,” the man answered.
His French accent took me by surprise.
“Fancy,” I whispered.
I grabbed two cups from beside the coffee maker and filled them, handing one to Olivia and taking the other for myself.
“Thank you,” Olivia said, trying to pull us back away. “They have stuff to do,” she whispered, leading me outside by the pool. “Brian’s coming soon, he emailed me.”
We sat down on a lounge and then I heard the sounds of quiet laughter emanating out from the palms.
Olivia looked up and then calmed. It was definitely Natalie.
“Morning,” Nat smiled, coming around the corner with Layla holding her arm.
“Morning,” Olivia laughed to herself and then looked over at me and back to her friend.
“Hey, can we-”
“Pool house,” Olivia said. “It’s all yours.”
“Thanks,” Nat laughed, walking past us from the back.
They probably needed to shower and change. Knowing Natalie, she’d just borrow something, she was always good for it.
“Mm fuck. This is fantastic,” Olivia said, laying back and finally tasting her catered drink.
I was highly aware that Layla and Nat were slowly walking behind us after a perfect Christmas Eve; a new possible budding love.
“Did you two have fun up in the tree house?” I asked.
“Of course,” Natalie smiled, stopping a moment just to give me a solid hello.
“You look happy,” I said, taking them both in.
“Am I ever not happy?” Natalie challenged.
Beside her, Layla was listening and watching, taking us in.
“No, but you look especially happy this morning. It is Christmas though, I wouldn’t be surprised,” I said.
“I guess you’re right,” she said, nodding. Nat looked down at her own hand in Layla’s and then back up at me anxiously.
“I’m gonna borrow some clothes,” she said, looking between us.
“It’s fine,” Olivia said, looking between both of them and then returning to her croissant quietly. “There’s food inside,” she said. “Help yourselves.”
“Thanks,” Nat said, glancing over at her rather seriously.
Nat’s face softened as she looked back to Layla and smiled, walking again toward the pool house with her new friend on her arm.
“They’re pretty,” I said.
They were art, live art and they bloomed together. I hoped it would be serious with them. I wanted so much for something to work out for Nat. I never could shake that guilt I had for being part of why her heart hurt all the time.
“Yeah, I’m sure you’d know about that,” Olivia teased, laying back on the lounge and just staring at me.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
I rushed over to her and leaned down to plant a kiss on her lips.
“You’re far prettier than I am,” I protested.
“Lies,” she smiled, eyes rolling again.
It was misty out but not in a bad way. The air had this cool moisture I actually liked. The water in the pool was slightly active and it sloshed against the sides because of the occasional wind.
Olivia’s eyes made a job of following me. Her fingers played with her croissant nervously.
When she noticed me watching her she ate some, but not until then.
“Nope. I have it on good authority,” I said.
I finished the last bite of the croissant. It was delicious.
“What do you want to do for the rest of break?” I asked.
“Stare at you,” she said, not looking.
“I’m not sure we can do that for the whole time,” I said.
“Good morning!”
Olivia’s mom came out, taking a drink of her coffee.
“Liz, did you know you have strangers running around in your kitchen?” I joked.
“Oh what? No,” she teased, pretending to be concerned.
“Yes, you might want to look into that. They make good coffee though,” I said.
“Did you two sleep well?” Liz asked glancing between us.
“Yes,” I said.
Her eyes rest on her daughter and then returned back to me. “That’s good,” she said, smiling. “I’m sure college has you both wiped out.”
“I love it though. It’s fun and hard work,” I said.
“I still don’t know how you ran into my daughter,” Liz teased.
“I’m right here,” Olivia droned, looking over at her.
“You look nice today, Olivia,” her mother said.
“Thanks,” Olivia muttered.
“Uh
-oh she’s in a holiday funk,” Liz remembered. “Don’t be nice to her.”
“Ha-ha-” Olivia faked a laugh.
“Your friend is coming soon,” Liz said. “The cute one, the boy.”
“I don’t have friends,” Olivia lied.
“Do you mean, Brian?” I asked, ignoring Olivia’s silly reply.
“Yes, and he’s bringing his friend,” Liz smiled.
“What is this, gay Christmas?” Olivia grumbled, uncomfortably now.
“No, it’s just Christmas,” Liz said. “And I’m glad you came back.”
“Yeah well. You know I like.. Care and stuff,” Olivia joked.
“Mhmm,” Liz smiled, looking down at me all amused because Olivia was being a pill. “Has she been this way all week?” Liz asked me.
“Yes, she has but I don’t blame her. The holidays can suck. This is the first good Christmas I’ve had since I was little,” I admitted.
I walked back and sat down on the side of the lounge that Olivia was laying on. Her relationship with her mom was a bit complicated. I never wanted to say something that would set Olivia off.
Olivia curled up onto me, hugging me.
“Well, I’m glad it’s been good,” Liz said, meaning it. “We’re never much for the holidays,” she said, “not enough time.”
“Yeah, my dad has mostly been gone and my mom never celebrated,” I said.
“But you like them?” Liz asked, honestly curious. “The holidays?”
“I love Christmas or at least I did and I’m trying to make this year better. It’s been great so far,” I said.
I would never lie about it, especially not to my mom and dad if they asked.
“When does everyone arrive?” I asked her.
“Close to four,” Liz smiled. “I’ve asked the chefs to have dinner by five.”
“So, we have a long time till everything is ready,” I said.
I looked at Olivia and smiled. Maybe I could make her frown disappear for a while.
“You have as much time as you want,” Liz said.
“Was your dinner okay?” Olivia asked.
“It was nice,” Liz said. “You were missed.”
I’m sure Olivia was thinking that she probably wasn’t missed. Her brain was broken that way.
“Both of you,” Liz added.
“We’re sorry we missed it. We kept busy though,” I said, my smile turning into a grin.
“Busy, huh?” Liz asked, cocking an eyebrow.
“We went to dinner,” Olivia said. “Avery’s family had a visiting sailor. A young man.”
“We’d already met him. He hit on me in the bookstore,” I frowned.
“That’s hilarious,” Liz said, looking between us. “And you know you’re beautiful Avery. I’m sure it didn’t come as a surprise.”
“I don’t know. He wasn’t that bad though. We were getting along by the end of dinner,” I confessed.
“Avery’s allergic to men,” Olivia teased.
“Me too,” Liz smirked. “They like to think they own everything.”
“I’m not allergic to all of them. I love Brian and Jacob. They’re nice and they don’t want to take me out on a date.”
“They are nice,” Liz said.
Nat and Layla must be having quite a time in our shower. I smiled at the thought. They could be taking separate showers though. That would take longer. Thinking of that was much more fun than thinking about men and their propensity to hit on me. I only felt a little guilty of thinking about Nat & Layla having sex.
“Do you want another pastry?” I asked Olivia.
“It’d be nice, yes,” she said. “I can get it,” she moved to get up.
“No. Stay,” Liz said, motioning for us to wait for her to bring us some herself.
Olivia watched her, with interest. Then she looked back at me once her mom had wandered away.
She crawled up and moved my face toward her as she territory kissed me.
“You’re too sexy to be here,” she said. “When you talk I just wish we were alone.”
“Well, I’ll try to be less sexy. It’ll be hard though,” I said.
I scrunched my forehead and crossed my eyes.
“Now?” I asked.
“Yeah. You’re right, I’m done,” she teased, sitting back down and laying back away from me.
She grabbed her coffee off the side table and drank some.
“Aww, forever?” I asked, laying back on her legs.
Our banter was epic.
“Yup. Just done,” she said, pretending to be busy with her phone.
Her mom came back with a plate filled with pastries and a carafe that no doubt had more gourmet coffee in it. Olivia took the plate.
“Henri and I are going out before the visitors come. We have a breakfast date. Is your family coming tonight Avery?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to them since last night and they didn’t mention it,” I said.
“Well, they’re invited,” Liz said. “I sent a card.”
“I’ll text Mom,” I said.
We were going to have quite a dinner. Both families, Brian, Jacob, Brian’s unaware parents, Natalie and Layla.
“Oh, Nat has a friend visiting. I don’t know if you knew,” I said.
“That’s alright. The more the merrier.” Liz smiled. “And what about you Olivia? Are you coming?”
“Of course I am,” Olivia said.
“If it’s too much you don’t have to.”
“What are you talking about,” Olivia muttered.
“I just know- Vivianne and I talked about the holidays. About you. She said you called her.”
“Isn’t that some breach of doctor patient confidentiality-”
“You already said we can talk about you.”
Olivia was quiet.
“I haven’t seen Vivianne in two months,” Olivia noted.
“She asks about you,” Liz said.
“Yeah?”
“Mhmm,” Liz assured, looking down on her daughter carefully. “Only come if you want to,” Liz said.
“I do,” Olivia said, looking up at her suddenly worried that her mom might not know that she actually did want to come, this time.
“Good,” Liz smiled, a little hurt in her, like Olivia had hurt.
“Is Vivi coming?” I asked.
“She wanted to, but no,” Liz said. “Prior engagement. She’s actually going to see her ex wife.”
“What?” Olivia asked, sitting up and looking at Liz like maybe she’d just been slapped by her.
A flash of something went through them and Olivia settled back down.
“There was a strange hiccup in her divorce,” Liz went on. “Something that should’ve been legally settled a long time ago.”
“Fuck,” Olivia grumbled, visibly dissatisfied with the news.
“Anyway, I didn’t exactly want to pry.”
“You should’ve,” Olivia muttered.
“It wouldn’t have been right,” Liz laughed. “She’ll get through it.”
“Alone,” Olivia grumbled. “Which is bullshit.”
“Call her then,” Liz suggested. “Anyway. I’ve gotta go.” She smiled at me lovingly. “Be back before four. Promise?”
“We promise,” I said for the both of us.
I looked back at Olivia and watched her face. Liz left us there and I knew she would want to touch base with Vivi. If Vivi’s asshole ex was pulling some weird crap again, Vivi was going to need a friend or two.
“You wanna go call her on speaker?” I asked.
“I dunno,” Olivia said. “What if she’s right?”
“She doesn’t have anyone though. This has got to suck. We should at least check on her,” I urged.
“Okay,” Olivia said, more worried than she was letting on.
