14-year-old Olive St. James burst through the front door.
"Mom! Dad! Guess what?" Olive ran into the family room, where her 41-year-old mother Rachel and 43-year-old father Jesse were sitting. Olive's little sister, Clementine, who had turned 1 three months earlier, was also there. She was standing in front of Rachel, who was seated. Clementine was holding her mother's hands, and Rachel was waving Clementine's arms back and forth as Clementine laughed hysterically. Jesse and Rachel were also laughing.
"Hey, Oli!" Rachel greeted without turning around.
"How was ballet class?" Jesse asked.
"Great!" Olive replied quickly. "Remember that new girl, Jenny I was telling you about?"
"Sure - she just started at the studio about a month ago, right?" Jesse asked.
"Yep! She's so cool," Olive sighed. Jenny was very nice - which "is the most important thing," as Rachel and Jesse made sure to reiterate frequently. But she also wore the latest styles in clothing - even her leotards were stylish, she seemed to always have perfect hair, and in addition to being a great dancer, also played soccer and tennis.
"What about her?" Rachel asked, finally looking up. Clementine had now made herself comfortable in Rachel's lap and was entertaining herself with some of her toy blocks that were laying nearby.
"Well she's having a party next Saturday after class and I really wanna go!" Olive exclaimed, practically bursting with excitement.
"A party?" Jesse asked, stealing a glance at Rachel. Both he and Rachel were trying to stifle laughter - Olive was so enthusiastic.
"Yes," Olive said. She took her dance bag off her shoulder and set it down on the floor. Kneeling down, she rummaged around in it before removing a piece of paper.
"Here's the invitation," Olive handed Rachel a card.
"Oh, wow, a paper invitation," Rachel remarked. Olive smiled. Her mother often lamented the end of "traditional parties" including people sending out actual, tangible invitations. This was one thing working in favor of Olive being able to go.
"Are Jenny's parents going to be home?" Jesse asked.
"I was waiting for you to ask, Father!" Olive replied without missing a beat. "Jenny's dad is out of town for work, but her mom will be there," Olive continued. "Maya's going to be there, too - she's friends with Jenny's sister." Maya Hummel-Anderson, 15, was one of Olive's closest friends, and the daughter of Rachel and Jesse's friends, Kurt and Blaine. Rachel had also been Maya's egg donor/surrogate, which made Maya Olive and Clementine's half-sister as well.
"How many guests are going to be there?" Rachel asked. She was happy to hear Maya would be there - despite only being 11 months older than Olive, Maya was a good role model, although Olive (for the most part) certainly had a good head on her shoulders.
"There's going to be eight of us including myself, Jenny, Maya, and Jenny's sister, Heather. The other four girls I know from dance class."
"So no boys?" Jesse asked.
Olive shook her head. "No, Dad. Unless we're counting Jenny's dog, George."
"Looks like the party is only from 12-4 - not late, parental supervision, not co-ed…I'm okay with it, what about you, Jesse?" Rachel turned to her husband who nodded in approval.
"Me too!" Jesse smiled.
"Yay! Thank you! You're the best parents in the world!" Olive ran over and hugged each of her parents, who laughed.
"I made you a panini for lunch," Rachel told Olive. "It should still be warm."
"Thanks, Mom," Olive smiled. "After I eat, could we go see a movie?"
Rachel laughed. "Do you really think Clemmy would sit through a whole movie?"
Olive frowned. Oh yeah - toddlers can't sit still for very long.
"Well…maybe one of you could stay home with her and the other could take me," Olive said defensively.
"I don't think it's going to work out today, hon," Jesse said. "We were going to take Clementine to the park after her nap though - if you wanted to come along."
The park? Seriously? They couldn't go to the movies because Clementine was too young but Olive was expected to enthusiastically agree to go to the park like she was a little kid? Ridiculous.
"No, I'll just stay home," Olive put her head down and headed for the kitchen.
When Mom had announced she was pregnant, this is exactly the type of thing Olive was worried would happen. Her parents had listened to her concerns and assured her Clementine would not replace her.
For the first twelve months, they had done a pretty good job of juggling two kids. But now Clementine was eating table food and walking and doing all kinds of things that Olive had been doing for years with no recognition whatsoever. Apparently the fact that Clementine was doing them was just so incredible. Olive definitely felt left out.
Bitterly, Olive ate her panini and ran upstairs and closed the door behind her. There had to be a way to get her parents' attention.
*
The next day, Olive stood in front of the dining room wall, pencil in hand. What she was about to do was so juvenile but apparently it was little kid behaviors that got her parents' attention. Slowly, Olive began to draw and write on the wall - she wrote "OSJ wuz here" like a stereotypical 90s high school delinquent in a bathroom stall, she drew flowers and butterflies and attempted to draw a unicorn. Just as she was writing her favorite musical quotes she could hear her mother ask from behind her, "Olive Maria St. James - what are you doing?"
Olive smiled and turned around.
"Being creative," she replied in a sickeningly sweet voice.
"Hmm…you know, your dad and I have been talking about painting the walls in this room," Rachel said.
Olive stared back blankly.
"Would be kinda cool for someone to find your drawings someday if we ever move," Rachel said. She patted Olive on the shoulder and left - probably to go fawn over Clementine.
Are you kidding?
Instead of scolding her daughter for vandalizing the dining room wall - Rachel had praised her and then left? What was going on?
The rest of the day went on like the days before it: Olive suggested an activity that she could do with her parents but it was immediately shot down because "oh, what about poor little Clementine?" So then Olive suggested the whole St. James family go out to eat.
"Well, I think something Clemmy ate earlier didn't sit quite right in her little tummy and she's had diarrhea. I would hate for that to happen while she's sitting in a restaurant high chair," Rachel said solemnly.
Hmm…Mom had a point. Clementine had already crapped on just about everything else - Olive's happiness, her relationship with her parents, and in a literal sense - Olive's brand new sweatshirt. But not to worry - Dad said he would get her a new one - this was two weeks ago, though. At this point, Olive didn't think she would ever get that sweatshirt, or time with her parents all to herself - ever again.
There had to be a better way to get her parents' attention - but what?
*
The next morning, Monday, Olive hurried down the stairs and stopped. Was she really about to go through with this? It would certainly take the focus off Clementine.
Yes - she had to do this - as awkward as she felt or not.
Olive sashayed into the kitchen. Dad was turned around washing a dish in the sink, and Mom was nowhere to be seen - possibly tending to her little angel. While Olive was hoping that both parents would be there, Dad alone could elicit a response strong enough for the two of them.
"Good morning, Dad!" Olive greeted.
Jesse whirled around. "Good morning, Ol -" Jesse stopped and stared wide-eyed.
"Olive St. James - what are you wearing?" Jesse cried.
"Well, each term we get an out-of-uniform day," Olive said. "And I recently got this when I went thrifting with Maya and am wearing it in lieu of my uniform," Olive grinned, gesturing to the tank top not long enough to cover her midriff and the very mini miniskirt."
"The hell you are!" Jesse exclaimed. Jesse had sworn a couple of times in front of Olive when she was younger but after Rachel called him out on it (following Olive repeating said words), he had stopped. Profanity was not the reaction Olive was expecting…it was even better.
"Go change into something appropriate for school," Jesse ordered.
"No," Olive replied flatly.
"Now," Jesse said, more firmly.
"I'm good," Olive replied.
"If you do not go up those stairs and pick a more appropriate outfit for school - you can wear your uniform and forget about going to that party!" Jesse said definitively.
Olive's stomach dropped. This was not part of the plan.
"Fine!" She yelled, racing upstairs and slamming her door. She threw on some jeans and a blouse, after Rachel scolded her from down the hall for slamming the door and scaring Clem.
*
Thursday night, Olive should've been excited, as she didn't have school the next day with it being a professional development day for the teachers. But instead, she was frantically pacing the floor trying to come up with a Plan C for rebellion and getting Mom and Dad's attention.
Olive had her window slightly open, as it was rather warm despite being an evening in late September. The wind whistling outside distracted her temporarily and then she got an idea.
If her parents really cared about her - her sudden absence should worry them deeply, right? Without giving it a second thought, Olive opened her window. Looking out she saw the "fire escape ladder" Mom had insisted on ordering for each of the family bedrooms. When not in use (which had been always up until this point) it was rolled up in a plastic storage bag attached to the house. Olive quickly unzipped the bag and released the ladder. She shimmied down quickly.
Upon reaching the ground, Olive lamented the fact that she didn't bring money for a cab with her. Well, she would just walk for a while and see if Dad came running out looking for her.
Less than ten minutes into her little escapade, Olive saw headlights in the distance. As she got closer, she realized it was a cop car.
Oh no.
The officer rolled his window down.
"It's awfully late for you to be out, don't you think?" The officer asked.
"I…well…yes, I suppose," Olive put her head down.
"Where do you live?" The officer asked.
Olive told him her address.
"That's like ten minutes from here," the officer noted. "Hop in, I'll take you home."
Slowly, Olive got in the passenger seat.
On the way back to her house, Olive's heart pounded - Mom and Dad were going to lose it. But she couldn't help but smile a bit - their eldest getting brought home by a police officer would certainly get her parents' attention.
Soon, Olive and Officer Murphy, as he had introduced himself, arrived back at Olive's house. Officer Murphy walked Olive up to the front door and knocked. Both Rachel and Jesse answered.
"Is this one yours?" Officer Murphy asked.
"Oh my God!" Rachel cried. She pulled Olive into the house in the tightest hug she'd ever given her. Jesse joined in the embrace.
"We were just about to call you!" Jesse told Officer Murphy. "We went upstairs to say good night to her but she wasn't there - the window was open and…where did you find her?"
"Not too far from here - she wouldn't tell me what she was doing or where she was going, but I'm glad I got her back to you in one piece. You all have a lovely night," Officer Murphy tipped his hat and then left.
Soon, Olive, Jesse, and Rachel were seated in the family room.
"What were you thinking?" Jesse scolded. "Something really bad could've happened to you, Olive."
"Like either of you would care!" Olive cried. Before she could stop herself, the tears started coming - and they were coming fast.
"What?" Rachel asked. "Why would you say that?"
"Because I'm not Clementine and all you care about is Clementine - and how she's walking and getting teeth and being adorable. It's like you don't want me around anymore!"
"Is that what this is all about?" Jesse knelt down beside Olive, and brushed the hair out of her eyes. His tone of voice had changed. "Is that why you wore the outfit, drew on the wall, and ran away from home?" Jesse asked. "Because you felt like you weren't getting enough attention?
"I know it wasn't right but…yes," Olive continued to sob, and Jesse took her into his arms.
"Olive, I'm so sorry - we're so sorry," Jesse said, looking at Rachel. "It was hard for us to adjust to having a baby and a teenager - and now having a toddler and a teenager is a whole other ballgame," Jesse continued. "The last thing we wanted is for you to feel so left out that you'd…end up getting brought home by a police officer."
"We just wish you would've said something before it got to that point," Rachel said. "But, I also wish that we had asked you how you were doing."
"Thank you," Olive was starting to calm down. Then, she thought of something.
"Can I still go to the party?" She asked softly.
"No," Jesse said firmly. Olive was disappointed but understood his reasoning. She had acted irresponsibly and a punishment was certainly in order.
"I mean - I'm going to need someone to go to the movies with me," Jesse said after a pause. Olive looked up at her father and grinned.
"You know, I haven't been to the movies in a while myself," Rachel added. "Can I come along?"
"Of course," Olive hugged her mother, too. "But what about -"
"Mercedes and Tina have been begging to babysit Clementine. I'm sure one of them would be more than willing to watch her while we're at the theatre," Rachel smiled, squeezing Olive's hand.
"Just promise us that you will never ever do something like this again," Jesse said, more seriously.
Olive promised.