Olivia opened the curtains and let the sunshine in the kitchen. Fitz was still sleeping. She needed to call Karen before she left for the airport. What was she supposed to say? She heard someone coming in the house.
"Olivia, you live here now?"
"Yes."
"Oh, I didn't know you were going to move in this fast."
"How are you?"
"I need to get a few things before I go to the airport."
"How about you stay for breakfast."
"I can't. My ticket is non-refundable."
"I'll get you another ticket."
"Why are you being so nice to me?"
"Because I want to get to know you. I am your mom now."
"You really want to hangout with me?"
"Yes."
"What about Mila?"
"I talk to Mila every day, and I'm probably going to drag her to dinner if she keeps ignoring my phone calls."
"Karen laughed, "She's ignoring you?"
"I can be a nagging mom. If she hasn't called me by 8:00 every morning, I start worrying."
"Mila is really lucky to have you."
"So why are you moving to Aspen?"
"How about you tell me your story. Where are your mom and dad?"
"My mom used a sperm bank, so I never had a dad. My mom...it's complicated."
"Did she throw you out when she had another kid?"
"No, she threw me out because I had a kid."
"How did that make you feel?"
"Very alone."
"Did she give you any money?"
"No. She said women have babies and she does not financially support adults. You're an embarrassment to my reputation. I teach my students to make good choices and here you are pregnant."
"How did you make it without money?"
"I had a few thousand dollars in a saving account. I worked during every summer break. It was enough for a cheap apartment in a rundown neighborhood. I found a job when I ran out of cash."
"Did she apologize?"
"Yes. She wants to start over."
"My grandparents were angry at my dad. They bought me gifts, but they were never happy to see me in Vermont. I guess Mila has the same issue with your mom, right?"
"They are very different, and that is an issue for them. My mom is very traditional with her parenting."
"At least your mom has a parenting style. It was always 'get out of my face Karen' every day with my mom."
"It was like that for me sometimes. I really think my mom had me because she wanted to check another item on her to-do-list," Olivia laughed, "finish college; check, start career; check, get pregnant; check."
Karen laughed.
"I'm being serious," Olivia laughed, "Everything is always so rigid with her. And if I wanted attention, she would say, 'Girl, can't you see I'm busy?' I had to write schedule a time for conversation with Livvie in her planner."
"My mom's planner is probably in her liquor cabinet. She has jars of moonshine all over the house. She thought it was funny when I thought her moonshine was water. The school nurse didn't think it was funny when I started throwing up the next day. The nurse threatened my dad and he made her lose her job. My dad used to be really mean to anyone who wasn't nice to me."
"I know that."
"I'm sorry he was mean to you. That was my fault."
"Mila needs your apology."
"I was always jealous of Mila. She's pretty and popular, and she had a better life than me."
"Can you join us for dinner?"
"What about my flight?"
"You can leave tomorrow."
Karen looked out the window confused, "Who's parking in our driveway?"
"That's Mila."
"Why is she here?"
"I don't know yet."
Olivia left Karen in the kitchen and answered the door. Mila had a huge grin.
"My phone is broken. I couldn't answer your call. I got the apartment. I filled out the application yesterday, and the manager called me today. I can move in right now, but I need a co-signer. Please hurry up so you can go sign the papers for me. You need to go to the bank and get your statements for the last 6 months."
Mila was talking fast. She was so happy, she grabbed Olivia's shoulders and shook her.
"Aren't you happy for me?!"
"You cannot grab me like that. Are you trying to send me back to the hospital?"
"Sorry."
Mila's smile faded when she saw Karen in the kitchen.
"What is she doing here?"
"What are you doing here, and are you always so loud?"
"So you moved out of our house to live with Karen?"
"No."
"You can call me later Olivia. I'm leaving."
"I want you to stay here."
"Are you fucking serious mom?"
"Mila please join us for breakfast."
"Hell no. I'm not about to sit up here and act like this bitch is part of my family."
"Call me a bitch one more time."
"Get out of the way Mom."
"No."
"Get out of my way!"
Karen snickered. "Don't write a check you can't cash Mila."
"Mila ran towards Karen and Olivia grabbed her. "Let me go Mom. I don't want you to get hurt!"
"Yeah let her go Olivia!"
"What is going on down here?"
Fitz halfway stumbled down the stairs. The noise startled him awake. His attention was on Livvie. He needed to make sure she wasn't hurt.
"Mila wants to fight. Can I kick her out of our house?"
"Both of you sit down."
Neither of them moved.
"I said sit down!" He bellowed.
Karen hurriedly sat down. Mila jumped at the sound of his loud voice and looked at Olivia for guidance.
"Sit down." Olivia said.
"You two don't like each other. You are going to deal with this right now. Without fighting. Because if Olivia gets hurt, I am going to be very upset."
"Fine, I'll leave. I don't want to miss my flight."
"How are you going to Aspen without any money?"
"I'll get the money from grandma and grandpa."
"Do you really think they're going to give you the money after all that shouting? What did you say? Don't write a check you can't cash? Are you writing fake checks now?"
Olivia covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. Mila laughed.
"What is so funny?"
"Nothing," Olivia said.
"Keep it real with me."
"Dad, shut up."
"Okay, I'm sure both of you can understand this. Get along or there will not be any more money from the bank of Fitzgerald Grant."
"What?"
"Do you need me to repeat myself Mila?"
"Okay, Mila we can be friends. Can I go to the airport now?"
"No, you two are hanging out today and next weekend."
"What?" Karen said.
"You're sisters now." Fitz answered.
"Is he serious, mom?"
"Yeah, go hangout somewhere. Go bowling."
"Karen probably can't bowl."
"I'm great at bowling. I know I'm better than you."
"You think you're better than me?"
"Are you challenging me Mila?"
"We can take my car. Yours is a raggedy piece of shit."
"Why does Mila have a new car, and I'm still driving my used car from high school?"
"I have two cars."
"Is she serious?!"
Fitz didn't give Karen a response. He pulled Olivia's hand. "Are you ready for breakfast?"
"Yeah. I'll get you a new car Karen."
"Really thanks!"
"No." Fitz said.
"Why not?"
"Because we're already giving you $4,000 a month."
"I'm paying Mila's car note. We can do the same for Karen. Next weekend. New car for you and an apartment for Mila."
"Are you paying my rent mom?"
"No."
"You two can talk about cars in the driveway."
Fitz held the door open for them. Mila looked at Olivia.
"You're kicking me out mom?"
"Yes, go hangout."
XXXX
"Shit why didn't you tell me there was a vase there?"
"Dammit, I'm sure they're awake now."
Fitz came downstairs a few seconds after he heard the vase break.
"What are you two doing here?"
"Sorry, we didn't mean to wake you dad. I need my skates."
"You don't come to this house after 9:00 to get your roller skates."
"Why are you so upset? It's not like we're interrupting anything."
"You are interrupting something."
"Gross." Karen said.
"Not with my mom. You must have someone else up there."
Karen laughed. "Shut up Mila."
"I'm serious. She hasn't had sex in 18 years."
"You sure know a lot about Olivia's sex life."
"Because she doesn't have sex. Birth control!" Mila said loudly.
Karen pushed her. "Are you trying to embarrass Olivia?"
"I'm reminding her that she needs to practice safe sex. She needs contraception."
"Shut up."
"I don't even think they should be having sex? Wasn't she complaining when I shook her shoulders a few hours ago? What if he shakes her so hard she has to go to the hospital?" Mila laughed.
"I don't want that visual. Shut up." Karen tried not to laugh.
Fitz was turning red. "You've got two minutes to get your skates and get out. I don't want either of you here before 9:00 tomorrow morning."
"Okay." Mila laughed.
Fitz let them go upstairs, and he waited downstairs in the foyer. They came downstairs with the skates giggling.
"I guess we won't be invited over for breakfast." Karen said.
Mila laughed, "I don't think we should expect dinner either."
Fitz didn't respond to their laughing. He needed to make it clear that they could not show up without calling. When he was back upstairs, Olivia was waiting for him.
"I'm sorry you had to hear all that." Fitz said.
"My teen who eats pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner; who needs reminders to clean her room and wash the dishes, will never embarrass me. I'm sure she's still wearing that GWU hoodie that hasn't been washed since Thursday.
Fitz laughed.
"Seriously, why do teenagers stink? If it's not stale sweatshirts, it's cheap scents from Bath and Body Works. There is one good thing about her being interested in dating, I don't have to remind her to brush her teeth twice a day anymore."
"You are being really mean. She's your kid."
"And that's why I would never say that to her. No one makes my kid cry. Not even me."
"They're getting along. That's surprising."
"Not really. Teens are fickle."
"Do you want to finish?"
"No, they ruined the mood."
"Do you want to change the locks?"
Olivia laughed, "No."
"Fine. Goodnight Livvie."
"Goodnight Fitz."