Make Time For Me

Chapter 11

“Thanks for agreeing to the alarm, Ellie. Please, promise me that you’ll keep it on when you’re home. I’d still prefer it if you’d stay with somebody.”

Olivia had told Ellie about what had happened. At that point, it had become necessary. If Olivia was in danger, then so was whoever who lived with her. But Ellie had stood firm on that. She’d get the alarm put on – and she and Jason had had a fine time picking one, and then Jason had had it delivered and installed within the hour, which had also delighted Ellie – but she would not be chased from home.

She had, however, agreed with Jason that Olivia could do with a couple of days away.

“I’ll be fine, Olivia. Don’t worry about me. I’ll check in with you every day. I promise. Yes, every six hours. I’ll be fine. You have my schedule, I’ll be at the hospital most of the time, anyway. Don’t worry so much.”

Olivia nodded, but she couldn’t help but worry.

“If you say so.”

“At least I know you’ll be safe.”

“I know. Jason is safe.”

Ellie smiled.

“You really like him, don’t you?”

“He’s been there for me through everything.”

“Is that all? I’ve seen the way you look at each other.”

Olivia couldn’t lie to Ellie, not now.

“I love him. But I haven’t told him. I don’t know if I can tell him. My past is not very encouraging. Things really went downhill with my ex.”

“I know, but Jason isn’t Aaron, and he’s not doing anything Aaron would.”

Olivia smiled despite herself, despite everything.

“That’s true.”

“Of course it’s true. Let yourself feel what you have for him, Olivia. You deserve to be happy.”

It was with those words ringing in her ears that she waved goodbye to Ellie and set off with Jason. He didn’t say anything about the notes or the stalker or the arrow or anything, and Olivia was glad. She needed a break from all of it. She didn’t want to think about anything. Instead, they played songs on the radio, from each decade, and tried to sing along, making up lyrics when they didn’t know them. An hour in, she was feeling better – so much better.

It was as if getting closer to her family was giving her all the positive energy she needed.

They each took turns driving, because it was a five-hour drive, even with everything going perfect. But it was an adventure, going with Jason. She was never bored. She didn’t think she could ever be bored with him, not when he reached out and took her hand casually, as if her hand belonged in his. Not when he leaned towards her and kissed her as they waited for lights to change.

When they stopped for gas, the attendant at the gas station thought they were a married couple. She found that she didn’t mind that. She even liked it.

She gave him a rundown of her family to prepare him, but found that he had already prepped himself.

“Father, John Leggett, cardiologist and adjunct professor at Duke University. Mother, Abby Leggett, speech pathologist at Duke. Sisters Hazel and Hattie, both in the symphony orchestra, first chairs, cello and violin. Brother, Caleb, lawyer who specializes in civil rights, about to be engaged to Cara Dunn, best friend. Daniel, oldest brother, off saving the world by trying to keep the ice caps from melting,” he recited.

Olivia chuckled.

“That’s about right. And we have tickets to see the twins, so that will be fun, too. We’ll drive back after that.”

“I need to take off for an hour to meet a friend when I’m in the city, but other than that, I’m all yours.”

Olivia was a little hurt that he didn’t ask her to go along to meet his friend, but she didn’t make a big deal out of it. It didn’t matter.

Olivia nearly leapt out of the car when it was still moving when they got home. She had missed it! She had missed the sprawling house in the suburbs, with terraces for every bedroom on the upper floors, with the deck that wrapped around the house along the lower floor. She had missed the sounds of dogs barking and running around, she had missed the smug cat who seemed to get fatter every day no matter what kind of diet she was on. She had missed her home and she had missed her family, even if she hadn’t lived at home with family for about seven years now.

She squealed when she ran inside and was wrapped in warm hugs. She was hugged, and kissed, and admired, and scolded, until it was hard to keep the tears inside, but she managed.

“Mama. Mama, the house looks wonderful. Nobody makes a home like you.”

“We missed you, Olivia. And here’s your young man. Jason South worth, right? I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear that we looked you up, but we found nothing serious enough to put you on the grill instead of the food. You make my daughter happy and you will be family for us.”

Jason grinned, obviously a little overwhelmed, which took a lot. Olivia had to chuckle. There was a lot of family there.

There was another squeal, and Olivia found her arms full with her best friend, Cara.

“Vee! You’re here, finally! I have so much to tell you! Oh, you look wonderful, and you, you’re Jason, you look wonderful, too, but if you hurt our girl, I will stab you in the eye.”

Olivia laughed.

“I warned you,” she mumbled to Jason.

“Not enough. I don’t think bringing two bottles of wine and a bottle of Scotch is going to get me on the right side of your family!”

“And a box of sweets, so we’re good. Hattie, Hazel, don’t you dare try to squeeze my arms! I have not been doing my handstands, my arms are not stronger than your fingers right now. Where’s Caleb? Where’s Daddy?”

“They’ll be – there they are.”

There were more hugs, more pointed jabs at Jason, but he was welcomed into the warmth that was her family, too. She was glad to see him beginning to loosen up a bit. She was glad to see him begin to let go and let himself laugh.

She’d known that he and Caleb would get along great, and she proved to be right. Olivia went out to the backyard to greet the dogs – Rough and Tumble, and they lived up to their names in raucousness – and she found the fat old cat, Jot, in a corner, with a block of cheese he had obviously finessed somehow.

“You will never lose weight at this rate, Jot. You need to get a little healthier. Do a few more push-ups, if nothing else. You should make sure you have more muscle than that.”

He gave her a disdainful look and went back to his cheese, but she figured he appreciated the petting anyway.

Olivia wandered up to her childhood room and sighed a little. It still had her personality in it, even if her mother had redecorated. It was still her room. It still had the curtains she had painstakingly sewn in the needlework class she had hated in school. It had the side table and bookshelves she had built in the carpentry class she had loved.

There was so much conversation, and so much laughter, and so much food! After the first half an hour, it seemed as if Jason had forever been a part of them, too.

“Vee, I need to tell you something.”

“What? Is something wrong?”

Cara shook her head.

“No. No, it’s something that Caleb and I are going to announce soon. But I wanted to tell you first. Other than Caleb and the doctor, nobody else knows. I’m pregnant.”

It took Olivia a moment to wrap her head around it.

Pregnant – her best friend and her brother were going to have a baby!