Chapter 26 - Olivia
T hey drove across town and pulled into the small parking lot of an even smaller Taiwanese restaurant.
“How'd you hear about this place?” she asked, taking in the fluorescent-lit decor.
“A friend from undergrad introduced me.”
“I am so excited.” Olivia opened the menu. In the end, she asked Aiden to order for them after giving him a high-level overview of her preferences.
He ordered a couple dozen soup dumplings as well as some noodles with chicken and stir-fried Bok choy.
They barely talked while eating other than to say things like, “Oh my god, this is so good,” and “Woah, yum,” and “Let’s never eat anywhere else ever.”
It was the most flavor she’d had in months, and it satisfied cravings that had been haunting her since leaving Seattle.
Sprawling against the back of her seat, she pushed her plate away and groaned. “I am soooo full. You can put me to bed now.”
“Oh no, no, no. We're just getting started. The night is young, and I have a surprise for you.”
“ What? What is it?” she demanded. Olivia had a love-hate relationship with surprises.
“Well, I remember you talking about how much you miss going to shows, so I took a chance and got us tickets to a Tune-Yards concert. They're playing at the park tonight. If you hate them or don't feel up for it, I totally understand. But I saw them in Portland with my sister, and to quote Lauren, ‘they're pretty rad,’ especially live.”
“Oh, that sounds fun! I don't know them, but I trust your taste in music.”
He quirked a grin, and his eyes sparkled with pleasure. “Why's that?”
“You won me over with The Be Good Tanyas the morning you made me brunch.”
“Can I confess something?” he asked sheepishly.
“Yes,” Olivia said hesitantly.
“I texted Lauren the night before to ask what music I should play to impress you.”
Olivia’s head fell back, and she laughed, mouth open wide. She was delighted by his confession. “Stop! That's hilarious!”
“Honestly!” He grinned proudly. “Clearly it was a good move on my part.”
“Now I trust Lauren's taste in music. Jury is still out on yours,” she teased.
“I feel like I should get second-hand credit for trusting my little sister with these decisions.”
Olivia raised an eyebrow as if considering. “Okay, sure. Second- hand credit is all yours.”
Aiden reached over and chucked her under her chin like an old-timey movie. He paused to brush her lips with his thumb before pulling away. Olivia tried to hide her shiver.
“So, what's Lauren's story? How'd she end up in Portland?” she asked, hoping to distract him from noticing how much power he had over her body.
“Well, probably similar to you in her desire to get out of Gresham. And she's a lesbian, so I think she was seeking a safe space to be herself, so to speak.”
“Ah yes, that makes sense. I think Gresham has gotten more conservative since I left, if that's even possible! How'd your parents take the news?”
“It's a weird situation, to be honest. They're accepting of LGBTQ folks, but it's like they don't believe she's actually gay, like this is just a phase.”
“Huh, that’s kind of sad.” Olivia considered how that dynamic must have impacted Lauren. “It must be tough for her. Has she ever brought someone home?”
“No, but she's only twenty-three. She and Ethan are twins.” As an afterthought, he added, “So she's obviously way too young for something serious.” He grinned and tapped her foot under the table.
“What does Ethan think of the whole thing?”
“They've got that weird twin energy. I think he may have accepted she was gay before she did. They're still super close. They talk every day.”
“Awww…that's sweet. What about Ellen?”
“Oh, she's totally fine, but she was out of the house by the time the twins were five. They've never been close. Lauren grew up surrounded by brothers, and she was always tough as nails.”
“Fascinating. So what's up with your parents? Is it some sort of denial thing?”
“I hate to say this, but I think it has a lot more to do with how she looks.” He paused, considering how to explain. “Frankly, she isn't butch . She's pretty and kinda traditionally feminine, ya know? And she dated boys in high school, so I think that confuses them. They're part of a generation clinging to an outdated idea of what a lesbian is ‘supposed’ to look and act like.”
“Well, I guess they'll have to accept it when she eventually falls in love and it gets serious.”
“I guess so.”
“When were you in Portland?”
“I was there for a conference last summer and made a trip out of it. Ethan joined us, which was great. But I’ve never been to Seattle. Are they pretty similar?”
“Yeah, sort of. A lot of people say Portland is twenty years behind Seattle in terms of development and culture, but they mean it in a superior, less sold-out sort of way. I loved going to Portland to shop and eat since the food is amazing, and they don't have sales tax.”
“That's not very progressive of you, skirting your taxes. Tsk tsk.” He reached for Olivia’s hand across the table and caressed his thumb back and forth across her knuckles as they waited for the check. It did things to her, but she feigned nonchalance.
Olivia flipped her hand over to interlock their fingers.
Without meaning to, she thought of Sam and how quickly the playful phase of their relationship had ended. Whatever happened between Aiden and her, she hoped this desire to touch each other, innocent or otherwise, stayed fresh.
“Meh, Seattleites are hypocrites when it comes to taxes. Washington has the most regressive tax code in the nation. Plus, I'm still from Gresham. Looking for ways to save money is in my blood.”
He chuckled.
Olivia’s phone buzzed, and she flipped it over to see Grace had texted her a photo.
“Speaking of sisters…” She unlocked her phone screen to see the picture Grace had sent. She assumed it would be something silly. But it was a picture of Grace and Abesh, and Grace’s new engagement ring.
“Woah,” she accidentally said out loud, stunned.
“Is this a good thing?” Aiden asked, sounding tentative.
“Oh yeah! Of course! Abesh is great. I was just surprised. Sorry, give me a minute to respond.”
She sent her sister all of the celebration emojis she could find. By the time she was done, she was smiling with genuine joy for Grace.
“I don’t mean to pry, but it seemed like your initial reaction was a little shocked. Are you worried they’re not ready?” he asked.
“Oh, no, not at all.” She paused to consider how she could articulate her thoughts. “I hate to admit it, but I think I was surprised.” She hesitated before saying, “I kind of assumed I’d get married first.” She shrugged and added, “I know it’s silly. It’s just…she’s four years younger than me, but I’m genuinely so thrilled for her. They’re a fantastic match.”
“It’s not silly,” he reassured her. “Society puts all kinds of weird pressure on us around weddings, especially in the Midwest. If it weren’t the case, I probably wouldn’t be a divorcé.”
“No?” Olivia asked curiously, hoping he would say more.
“No. I would have lived in sin with Rebecca until things ended naturally. Instead, we got married at twenty-three because we felt like we had to. I had a long road of medical school ahead of me, and she wanted to follow me wherever I landed. But when you think about it, it is absolute silliness to expect a modern twenty-three-year-old to be mature enough to commit to someone for the next, what, seventy years? Or at least it was for me.”
“Well, I appreciate your understanding.” Olivia was relieved he hadn’t judged her reaction as petty.
With that, they scooted their way out of their booth, ready to head for the show.
The Tune-Yards show was “capital-F” Fun . Olivia loved the way the lead singer looped her voice into the music, and the band's energy had the crowd on its feet, dancing and bouncing to the rhythm.
The collective energy made her soul feel lighter than it had in weeks. She made a mental note to prioritize visits to the Cities for shows and good food. The two-hour drive from Gresham was much shorter than the drive from Seattle to Portland, and she had made that trek at least three times per year, even if Sam often instigated those trips. Sam worshiped Portland and talked about moving there, but it never appealed to Olivia in the same way. So, she resisted, using her job as an excuse not to move.
After the show, Olivia was exhausted, and they collapsed into bed. Gazing at the ceiling, she thanked Aiden for the thoughtful evening and for giving her a taste of the things she missed about living in the city.
“For tomorrow, I was thinking maybe we could meet up with some of my friends from undergrad. Would that be okay with you?” he asked quietly.
“Yes, that’d be great,” Olivia whispered back.
He pulled her to him so her head rested on his chest, and her eyelids fluttered closed. She felt one last kiss on her head before drifting to sleep.