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“You will. In due time. I’ll be out that way on Wednesday. We can grab coffee, talk.”
“I’d like that.”
“See you then.”
“Kiss my niece for me.”
“I will.” Olivia hung up and took a moment before heading downstairs and facing her parents.
John Andre met her at the stairs, butt wiggling back and forth, nose sniffing her feet before he flopped on his back, legs up in prime petting position.
“Hey, good boy!” Olivia said, giving John Andre exactly what he wanted. She rubbed his belly and scratched behind his ears, and when she straightened to continue, he quickly stood and dropped down on her feet. She grabbed the wall before she would be forced to join him on the floor. “I’m sorry. Were we not done here?” Olivia gave him a few more rubs and scratches and finally an acceptable amount of attention for the spoiled Yorkie. He rolled over and waited for Olivia to lead.
With a laugh she made her way into the kitchen.
Dad was at the table, newspaper in hand. Olivia had been trying to get him to go digital forever, but he refused to give up the feel of paper in his hands in the morning. His green monster slippers poked out from beneath the table, and Olivia shook her head at the monstrosities.
“Morning,” Olivia said as she followed the scent of coffee to the pot. John Andre was on her heels, so she grabbed the two bags of treats and placed them on the floor. “Which one do you want?” John Andre sniffed both bags then pawed the bag with the peanut butter bones. “Good choice.” Olivia fished out a bone and tossed it into the living room. John Andre took off, grabbed the bone, and instantly went to find a place to hide it.
“Coffee is brewing, and your mother went to get bagels,” Dad said, from behind the paper.
Olivia poured herself a cup and went to grab the almond milk out of the fridge, only to remember her parents only drank whole milk. She snatched the gallon container. She still had a little money in her checking account and could afford a run to McConnell’s Market to stock up on the necessities.
She dropped a scoop of sugar into her mug, making a mental note to pick up a bag of raw sugar, then leaned against the counter. The first sip was like heaven, and she took a moment to savor it before nodding to Dad’s feet.
“I bought you shearling lined, suede slippers last year, and you refuse to wear them.”
“For all the money you spent on those things, they weren’t comfortable. You could have put that money into savings, and you might not be in this predicament.”
Annoyance flared beneath the surface, and Olivia took a deep breath. “Two hundred dollars wouldn’t have made a difference.”
He folded the paper and placed it down on the table. “Maybe not. But think of all the other unnecessary purchases you’ve made over the years. They add up. What about your purse? Your sister told me it’s a few thousand dollars.” His eyes widened, and he laughed. “A few thousand dollars,” his words came out in a high-pitched squeak. “For a bag!”
That bag was her most prized possession. Daniel’s money didn’t buy it. It was the first big purchase she’d ever made, and she’d been so proud when she was able to go up to the register and hand over her debit card. So what if it left her with only a hundred bucks in her checking account? She finally got to be one of the women walking down Fifth Avenue who stopped in the Louis Vuitton store and made a purchase on a random Wednesday because she could. With the last hundred bucks, she took herself and the bag out for champagne rose macaroons and a latte.
Maybe Dad had a point. That money would have really helped her out, but she wouldn’t regret that purchase or the macaroons after. That day was empowering, and it gave her a little extra bounce in her step. The experience, the feeling made it worth the money, despite the uncertainty she faced now.
“Can we not talk about this right now? My life is in shambles, and I don’t need to be reminded about all the things I’ve done to get me here.”
Dad ran a hand over his thick mustache that he’d been sporting all of Olivia’s life. “Then let’s talk about what you’re going to do to get you back on track.”
Olivia sighed. She loved her father, but he didn’t understand the need to take a moment. When something didn’t work out, he was quick to come up with a new plan. Olivia didn’t have a plan yet, and the last thing she wanted was to discuss it. She needed to figure out her next steps on her own and in her own time. “Can’t I have a day to not think?”
Dad reached across the table and took her hand, giving it a squeeze. “I worry about you.”
“I know,” Olivia said.
Concern pinched his brow, and his gaze dropped to their hands. “Should I kill him?” he asked, the offer putting the first genuine smile on Olivia’s face since she’d woken up.
“Tempting,” she said around a laugh, “but he’s not worth the bullet.”
“I can sick John Andre on him.” At his name, John Andre ran into the kitchen, small bone barely sticking out each corner of his mouth, making him look like he was smiling. Dad bent and picked the small pup up. “Look at him. He’s vicious.”
This time Olivia laughed so hard she snorted, something she hadn’t done in a long time. Daniel once commented on her snorting, and she’d become self-conscious. “He’s just a natural born killer.” John Andre’s head tilted, his big brown eyes the epitome of innocence. Olivia moved in and kissed his snout. “You’re just a big mean meanie, aren’t you?” The bone fell from John Andre’s mouth, and his tongue lapped out and swiped a wet line across Olivia’s cheek. She laughed harder, and John Andre did his doggie dance in Dad’s arms before Olivia took him in hers. He continued to attack her face with puppy kisses, and normally Olivia would freak out about her makeup, but today she took comfort in the affection.
Maybe moving back home, for now, wasn’t so bad after all.
Chapter 5
