“Evie,” Oliver says.
“Hey, Mr. Boyd,” a small, timid voice says. “Is Lily here? I was on my way home for lunch and saw her car. I’ve been meaning to return this bag of books she let me borrow but she’s never home.” Light laughter rolls sweetly from the girl.
I imagine she’s young. Blue’s age or even younger. The shy way she talks to O, I’d guess she’s not nearly as worldly as Blue. Virginal in every sense of the word.
Cute.
“She’s not,” Oliver tells her. “I just stopped by to pick something up Blue left in her old room.”
“Oh,” Evie chirps. “How is Blue? I haven’t seen her in forever. I sure wish I could have been here for her over the summer.”
“You have fun at camp?” Oliver asks.
“Yeah.” There’s a reserved sadness in her voice that breaks my heart. I think Oliver senses it too as he goes quiet. Probably desperate to help her somehow but since I’ve got dibs on Oliver’s help right now, he has to let it go.
“Well,” Evie says. “Can you make sure Lily knows I returned these?” There’s a rustling sound. Evie passing the bag of books to Oliver, I assume.
“Sure thing,” Oliver says.
“Thanks.”
Oliver nods and after a moment, shuts the door.
“Holy fuck that was close,” Oliver says walking across the room to put the paper bag full of books on the floor next to the book shelf.
“Nice cover though,” I tell him. “Good fucking thing you were here.”
“Let’s just hope it doesn’t happen again,” Oliver says on his way back to the door.
“I’ll just ignore it and hide in the closet or something.”
“How long you gonna keep living like this?” he asks sounding exhausted on my behalf.
“Not forever.” Just long enough to decide whether or not I’m going back to work.
Admittedly, I miss it. Acting. I don’t miss the bullshit but I miss being on set. Creating. It’s not really so bad here. Even though I have to be a prisoner in my own home. Lily’s home now. I’m a prisoner there, in the limelight, too. Just in different ways. There are things I can’t do because of who I am. Things I didn’t think were worth the shit-storm they’d cause if I did them. Like being in a real relationship with someone. Something like that is just asking for every last shred of privacy to be stripped away.
“Better get that dinner of yours started,” Oliver says opening the door again. To leave this time.
“After I clear the driveway,” I say.
“No. Someone will see you.”
“I’ll keep my hood up and wrap a scarf around my face.”
“Your eyes alone…” Oliver starts but I cut him off by pushing him out the door.
“I’m doing it, O. I’m damn well not leaving it for Lily.”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He holds his hands in the air, surrendering.
“Oh, you’ve got this dad thing down, don’t you?”
“Just sayin’. If you get caught, it’ll be your own damn fault.”
“Hey. You gave me a taste of what it’s like to do something nice for someone. Whatever happens now, isyourfault.”
“At least we know finding your generous nature hasn’t made you less of a prick.”
“That’s one thing you can always count on, O.” Grinning wickedly, I grab a handful of my junk and snark, “I’ll always be a big prick.”
