Livvy (35 page)

Mom smiles, beginning to close the door. She stops herself, stepping back into the entryway one last time. “Just tell me you’re being smart.”

“We are,” Jon and I say together.

“Good. Love you, kids.”

“Love you, Mom.” My head collapses on the island as soon as the door shuts. “Oh, God...”

Jon’s hands slide up my arms to my shoulders and neck. He massages deeply, easing the tension. “It’s fine, baby. You’re an adult. You’re living on your own. She even said they know...”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better,” I mumble. “I feel like I’ve let her down.”

“Why?”

“Because we didn’t wait.”

“Wait for what?”

“To get married?” I ask him, thinking it was obvious what I was talking about.

“Hey,” he says, pulling me up by my shoulders. He adjusts the chair and moves to stand in front of me, being purposefully careful with my leg. “No one wants us to get married at our age, Livvy. Trust me. And they’ve known that we’ve been having sex for at least a year.”

“No, they know we had sex
once
.”

“You’re a fool if you believe that.”

“Maybe I’m in denial a little, too.”

“You definitely are,” he teases me, giving me a kiss. “Livvy, please don’t be ashamed of this. We love each other and we’re mature enough to make this decision.”

“I just don’t want it to be a topic of conversation with my dad.”

“I swear to you I will never
ever
bring it up with him again.” We both laugh a little. “You don’t want to get married soon, do you?” His question is hesitant.

“No,” I assure him. “That’s not what I was getting at. We have years to figure that out.”

“Good,” he says. “I don’t need vows and an altar to feel committed to you, Olivia. I hope you don’t either.”

“I feel like we’ve made some vows of our own. As long as you and I recognize this as a loving and monogamous relationship, that’s all I care about. I don’t need a proclamation or a license... or a reception, you know?”

“Yeah,” he says.

“So what’s all the fuss about this pumpkin bread?” I ask, easing off of the chair. I hobble to the oven and take out the pan.

“Let me show you how we eat it.”

Katrina joins us for breakfast just in time for a second helping.

CHAPTER 13

The month between Thanksgiving and Christmas was a blur to me. All of my classes had major projects due before the end of the semester, so most of my time during the week was spent either in the studio or in the library. On the weekends, I still returned to Manhattan. Jon and I had dinner with my parents on Fridays and lunch with them on Sundays. Saturdays were reserved for just the two of us, but with our busy school schedules, we spent the vast majority of the time studying, reading, writing, drawing or painting.

Nearly everything has been perfect between us. The only point of contention we had was regarding Rachelle’s New Year’s Eve party. He had been fine the first time I brought it up, but that was before he realized it was a black tie affair. He couldn’t have cared less about what he’d have to wear. He was just nervous about the people we’d be spending the evening with.

“You’ll fit in fine,” I had assured him.

“What will we talk about?” he’d asked, feeling he’d have nothing in common with the high society people that would be celebrating the holiday at Rachelle’s house.

“Ummm, anything you want to talk about. Trust me, you’ll have more to contribute than you’re giving yourself credit for. You could speak about any topic.” It was true I was trying to make him feel better, but I was being honest, too. I knew he had absolutely nothing to worry about.

“No one’s going to be interested in postmodern deconstructivism, Liv.”

“I bet people will be fascinated. And if they aren’t, they’ll at least be polite enough to feign interest.”

“So they’re all fake,” he’d suggested.

“That’s not what I said,” I argued. “You’re by far the most intelligent, the most engaging, the most intriguing man I’ve ever met. If other people don’t see that, they’re probably just distracted by some shiny object.” My attempt to lighten the mood just provided more ammunition for his insecurity.

“The diamonds they’re wearing,” he’d pondered. I rolled my eyes.

“I’m planning on wearing some,” I had told him. “Am I an elitist for that?”

“No, you’re relatively normal.”

“I bet most of these people will be, too. Keep an open mind. They might surprise you.”

“I’m going to be myself,” he’d said, as if he would be acting in a manner that I wouldn’t approve of.

“As am I. I wouldn’t want to go with anyone else, Jon.”

“Okay, good,” he’d said with a sigh. “I guess we can go.”

I clapped, happy that I’d reassured him enough to go. “Hold on, I have to make a call to have them change your name tag from J. Augustus to plain old Jon.” As I’d started to run to get my phone, he grabbed my arm and looked at me, studying my expression. In two seconds, I’d cracked, unable to maintain my lie.

“Not funny,” he said, although the grin had communicated the contrary. “Make sure they capitalize the P and O.”

On the Wednesday before Christmas, I drop Katrina off at JFK before heading to my parents’ house. Mom meets me in the drive when I pull up, ready to help me unload my things.

“Where’s Dad?”

“He’s picking up Margie, Will and Max from LaGuardia.”

“I thought he’d just send a car.”

“He wanted to show them the loft and make sure they settled in okay.”

“Jon and I could have done that later,” I tell her as we set my things down in the foyer.

“Jacks wanted to do it. Plus, I thought you were staying in with us tonight.”

“I am... but I do intend to go over there for a few minutes, at least to say hello. I think it would be rude if I didn’t.”

“Maybe they’d like some family time. I assured them that they would have as much privacy as they wanted, Livvy. For the next week and a half, it’s not your loft, okay? We had an agreement.”

“I know.”

“So don’t invite yourself over. Let them make the call.” I roll my eyes, feeling confident that Jon wants to see me just as badly as I want to see him.

“Okay, Mom.”

“In the meantime, you can help me wrap some presents for dad and Trey.” She always relies on me to do a good share of the wrapping. I’m fairly meticulous about the task, and I don’t like for two packages to ever look the same.

“Cool.”

Dad comes home an hour later, and brings a few more gifts for me to decorate for Trey. He’d told me that Jon had met them over there with some groceries, intending to make dinner for his family. I’d kept waiting for my invitation, but it’s eight o’clock before he calls me to check in.

The next day, Jon and I take Max and Trey to see a big model train exhibit at a local store, and to do a little shopping for our parents. Will comes along, and is a good sport, even though he’s obviously bored. He brought a book, and has been reading it when we stop for more than a few seconds.

I help Jon pick out some earrings for his mother. She wanted some simple silver hoops, and while it seemed like an easy present to buy, he was overwhelmed with the amount of options available.

“I wish I could see what they’d look like on,” he says, struggling between two different sizes. He keeps holding the packages up to my ears to try to get an idea. “Can we just pierce your ears today, Olivia? It’d really help me out,” he teases.

“No way,” I tell him. “I’m afraid something will go wrong and they’ll permanently ruin my ears.”

“I don’t think anyone’s ever gone deaf from a simple ear-piercing.”

“I’m not worried about going deaf. I’m worried my lobes will go numb.”

“Who cares about numb earlobes?” Jon’s oldest brother asks us. “They don’t do anything
except
hold earrings.” Jon lifts his eyebrows, waiting for my answer.

“You’ll see,” I tell Will secretively as I give Jon a sexy smile. He sets down both sets of jewelry and leans over, surprising me by kissing my ear and taking the lobe into his mouth. I close my eyes momentarily, loving the way it feels, before pushing him away as my cheeks blush bright pink. I look around to see if there are people watching. Aside from Will and the salesperson, no one else saw the intimate moment.

“Seriously, Jon?” Will says as he starts to walk away toward Max and Trey.

“You have no idea, Will,” Jon says, stopping his brother. “Nor should you,” he adds, pointing his finger as if giving him direction. “Yet.”

“Hurry up,” Trey whines, clearly bored at the jewelry store.

“I like the thicker ones, if you want my opinion,” I tell him.

“I do. Thank you. We’ll take these,” he says to the woman behind the counter. He wraps his arms around me from behind and presses his lips to my ear again.

“You have to stop doing that,” I warn him. He kisses my cheek, finally letting go of me to pay. After he’s finished, we corral our brothers and guide them out of the store once again.

“Livvy, can we go in here?” Trey asks as he peeks through the large window of FAO Schwarz.

“Guys, we’re shopping for our parents,” I remind them as Will opens the door to the shop and ushers them inside anyway. “Stay together, at least,” I call out to them. My brother flanks to the left, drawn to a large Lego display. Max goes to the right after seeing a wall of Star Wars collectibles.

“Divide and conquer,” Jon says as he takes off after his youngest brother. I follow Trey, checking out the different sets. When I look up, I see a few different patrons holding up their phones, snapping pictures of me and my brother.

“Livvy,” one older woman asks, “will you take a picture with my granddaughter?”

“Of course,” I tell her kindly, putting my arm around the girl who’s probably around ten. “What’s your name?” I ask her.

“Allie,” she says bashfully. We both smile for her grandmother’s camera. “I think you’re so pretty,” she says.

“You’re sweet, thank you. I love your curls.” I pull on one long strand of hair, watching the blonde curl bounce back into place.

“My grandma did my hair.”

“It’s gorgeous. Grandmas are great, aren’t they?” I say wistfully, thinking of Granna.

“Yeah,” she answers. “I want to grow up and be just like you.” I’m taken aback by the young girl’s admission.

“Like me?” I ask as the older woman she’s with thanks me for my time.

“You’re pretty and smart and rich,” she says.

“That’s so sweet.”

“Let’s let Livvy finish her shopping,” her grandmother says.

“Goodbye, Allie.”

“Bye,” she says with a quick wave on her way to a counter full of dolls.

“Why doesn’t anyone want my pictures?” Trey asks.

“They aren’t supposed to bother you, buddy. That’s what Dad has asked. But there were people snapping pictures of you earlier. You didn’t notice?”

“No,” he says. I don’t know why, but this concerns me. I look around, finally spotting a man with his phone angled toward us.

“Look, you see that man over there?” I point rudely at the older guy. “He’s taking a picture with his phone.” My brother smiles broadly, saying ‘cheese’ like he was taught when he was much younger.

“That’s cute, Trey, but they shouldn’t be doing that.” It was one thing when people took my picture. When I was Trey’s age, my parents were the ones that garnered the attention, not so much me. As I grew up, the interest shifted to me. My brother had been shielded from this for many years. “Let’s go find Jon.”

“Why shouldn’t they?” my brother asks as we wander the store. I keep an eye on everyone else around, now putting myself between him and any other onlookers. I finally find my boyfriend, who’s letting Max pick out an action figure for one of his gifts.

“Jon,” I say, ignoring Trey, “is it creepy that there are full grown men taking pictures of my brother?”

“Who?” he asks, suddenly giving me his full attention.

“I’ve seen about four people. One lady asked me to pose with her granddaughter.
I
don’t mind that, but it’s seems like so much more of an exploitation with Trey.”

“Yeah, I think it’s creepy,” he says, now looking around and noticing that many of the shoppers are looking in our direction. “Max,” he says, “you don’t need to make the decision now. I’ll come back and get one for you.” He takes Han Solo from him and sets it back on the counter. “We need to go.”

By the time we leave the store, a crowd of photographers has lined up on the sidewalk. Flashbulbs go off as people yell questions at us.
What am I getting Jon for Christmas? What’s he getting for me? How do I like Yale? Any wedding plans on the horizon? Who are the other kids with us? Where are my parents?

I hold on to Max and Trey while Jon pushes through the crowd and Will follows us from behind. “Mom and Dad are at home,” Trey answers one of the questions.