The doorbell rang, and she called out that she’d get it. Her friend Helen was supposed to stop by before she and her mom flew out that afternoon. She charged down the steps and flung the door open.
“What is that?” she asked Helen as her friend held out a gift bag.
“What do you think? It’s from a lingerie boutique. I mean, seriously,” Helen said and gave Olivia a hug. “I still can’t believe you’re leaving me.”
“Just for the summer, and why the hell did you buy me lingerie?”
“All the hotties you’re going to see down there. Did you brush up on your French?”
Olivia led the way back inside and led Helen upstairs. Her mom poked her head out to wave but told them she’d be on the phone. They headed to Olivia’s room, and Helen stopped when she saw the suitcase.
“It’s real. I’m still trying to believe this.”
“You and me both.” She rummaged through the obnoxiously bright pink tissue paper in the bag and pulled out a black lace set of bra, panties, and a teddy she wasn’t even sure how she’d put on. “When am I going to wear this?”
Helen shrugged, a mischievous glint to her eyes. “You have to lose it sometime, you know. Being a princess, the men will be lining up to… ah, court you and all.”
“I’m not taking this. I’m supposed to make a good impression.”
“It’s not like I’m asking you to tell anyone what you do behind closed doors.” Helen took the bag of lingerie and shoved it inside her suitcase. “There, now you’re all packed and ready to go. You have to call me as much as you can. I need to live vicariously through you.”
Olivia’s lips thinned. Helen was a bit overdramatic. “Don’t you have an internship this summer?”
“Sure, we can call it that. Dad’s having me work beneath him at the factory. Sounds like great times.”
“Just another year and you can get a decent job,” Olivia reminded her.
Helen shrugged and had a look on her face that Olivia had seen enough times in the mirror. The feeling that she was never going to get out of this town. She hated leaving her friend behind, had even gone so far as to beg her mother to let her tag along, but it was out of the question. There was going to be too much going on for Olivia to do anything with a friend, even if she brought one.
“You’ll get out of here,” she said quietly and squeezed her friend’s arm. “Promise.”
“Not before you. You know, I won’t blame you if you don’t come back, but come kidnap me eventually.”
She hugged Helen again, holding her tightly. It was going to be hard going through this without Helen around. They’d been friends ever since Olivia and her mother had landed in Nebraska, almost ten years ago. She’d been in nearly every middle school, high school, and college class with Helen until they went separate ways for their degrees. Helen wanted to eventually go to culinary school and open a restaurant, but at the moment, it was out of the question—too much money and not what her parents wanted.
And Olivia… Well, she was an art major, paint mostly. She had a natural talent that many of her art professors were jealous of, but there wasn’t much she could do as an artist unless she made something of herself. Or had a nice stash of money to live off until she did.
“Alright, girls,” Melinda said, knocking on the doorframe. “Helen, you tell your folks ‘hey’ from me.”
Helen let go of Olivia and gave Melinda a tight hug. “I will. Let me know if Olivia fails at being a princess.”
“Oh, I will, maybe even get some good videos of her trying to curtsy.”
Olivia’s eyes went wide. “I have to curtsy? Dresses and heels, too?”
“Afraid so, sweetie. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.”
Helen laughed as she gave one last goodbye and let herself out. Melinda told her daughter to grab her suitcase and help get the rest of the luggage downstairs.
“The cab will be here soon, then it’s off to paradise,” her mom said, shooting her hand up and dancing a bit as she said it. “The scenery is breathtaking. You’ll have an endless amount of inspiration for your art.”
“Will I even have time for that?”
This summer was supposed to be for getting her final portfolio sketched out and created. There was a ton of work she’d have to catch up on, especially now that she might be going to grad school.
“You will, don’t worry.”
Olivia took her suitcase downstairs and hurried back up and into her mom’s room. “Jesus, Mom, you taking your entire wardrobe?”
There were four large suitcases and two duffels stuffed full. Her mom laughed as she tried to pick one up. “I have to. I won’t be coming back here for a while. A very long while.” She glanced around her room, and Olivia saw a hint of sadness. “But don’t worry. The house will stay here for a while longer. No need to sell it until I know you’ll be alright.”