Chapter 42 - Olivia
A fter a nap and a jog with Ms. Darcy, Olivia showered and got ready for dinner.
When she arrived at the restaurant, Maddy was sitting in a booth toward the back. It was shockingly good to see her. Her hair was as curly as ever, framing her big round face and even rounder blue eyes. Maddy had always been naturally curvy, the same way Olivia was naturally thin.
As Olivia made her way to Maddy, she passed the generic Mexican-family-restaurant-décor of gold sombreros and hand-painted green cacti, which stood out against the bright orange and red walls. Olivia was pleased to see tortilla chips and salsa already sitting on the brightly tiled table in front of Maddy.
“Mad-Eye Moody!” Olivia exclaimed excitedly.
“Ollivander!” Maddy stood for a hug.
Olivia had the comforting sensation they were picking up exactly where they’d left off a decade or so ago—two giant book-loving theater dorks .
They looked at each other and smiled.
“It’s so good to see you!” they said in unison.
They sat down, smiling so big that Olivia's face hurt in the best way.
“So, there’s something you should know before we hang tonight,” Maddy said. She pulled open her phone and slid it in front of Olivia. “Your mom sent me this text about thirty minutes ago.”
Olivia’s Mom: Please show Olivia a good time tonight. She needs it. I will be your DD. Just call me when you’re ready to be picked up or when the bars close down.
Olivia read the text and burst out laughing.
“I almost died when I saw this text,” Maddy said. “So…it sounds like we’re drinking margaritas tonight?”
Olivia smacked her palm against her forehead. “Oh, boy.”
“I know we have approximately fifteen years to catch up on, but what is going on ? And please make it juicy! I could really use a juicy story in my life right about now.”
Olivia took a deep breath and let out a resigned “woe is me” sigh. “Do you remember Aiden Wescott?”
Maddy snorted. “Yuh.”
“Well…”
Olivia caught her up between bites of a burrito. Two margaritas later, she was pounding the table for emphasis as she told Maddy about the Sam-Aiden fiasco.
“Holy smokes,” Maddy said in awe. “You're back for less than a year, and your life is more interesting than the last five of mine combined. Didn't you get the memo? Gresham is boring.”
“Ha, must have missed it. Also, I call B.S. You've gotten married and given birth to an adorable human. That's not boring.”
“Well, not boring, but it's definitely monotonous at times.”
“Please,” Olivia said with a sweeping gesture. “Help yourself to my drama anytime.”
“Don't mind if I do. You know, Aiden had a thing for you that summer after we graduated. He asked me for your number.”
“Hmm,” Olivia said thoughtfully. Maddy had just inadvertently corroborated Aiden’s story.
“So, what are you going to do?” Maddy asked excitedly.
“What do you mean?”
“About Aiden.”
“Ummm…what is there to do?”
“Well, it sounds like he was a jackass, and he apologized. Are you going to give him another chance?”
Olivia sighed before launching into the final piece of the story. “So, basically, he said he wants to be friends, and I'm not into that.”
Maddy looked skeptical. “That sounds like he was just trying to get you to reopen the metaphorical door to being with you since he screwed up big time, and he knows it.”
Olivia bit her lower lip, considering that perspective. “I don't know.”
“I'll admit I wasn't there, but it sounds like he's still into you. It also sounds like he has some baggage, which doesn’t mean he’s less into you, just that he was being a jealous idiot.”
“Do you think I should forgive him?”
“Woah, woah, woah. That's a ‘ you’ decision for sure.”
“Well, I appreciate your perspective, but now I'm sick of talking about me. Tell me all about your life! I want every detail I've missed since we left for college. Start there!”
Maddy laughed and said, “It was a cool autumn morning. I was eighteen years old. The world was my oyster, and I walked into my first day of freshman orientation.”
Olivia giggled and reached across the table to poke Maddy in the arm.
“In all seriousness, I would love to catch you up, but I don't think I can have a third margarita. Let's go somewhere we can get a beer and give them back this table.”
“Okay, good thinking.”
They settled the bill and walked toward the restaurant’s heavy wooden front door. Olivia used her whole body to push it open, emerging into the humid evening.
Olivia looked over at Maddy for direction. “So where should we go? I haven't cracked the Gresham nightlife scene. In fact, I'm usually asleep by nine every night. Apparently, I’m turning into my father.”
“You and me both,” Maddy said, trailing behind her. “But people our age usually end up at The Whiskey Warden. They make decent mixed drinks and have a solid beer selection. And bonus, it's walkable.”
They ambled the short five-minute distance along Gresham’s quiet Main Street to The Whiskey Warden.
Olivia looked around, rubbing her arms for warmth. “Oh my god, this place is freezing. ”
“Don't worry,” Maddy reassured her. “In an hour or so, there will be a hundred bodies in here, and it'll warm up. Then you'll appreciate the AC.”
“Okay, I trust you.”
Olivia took in the ambiance. The bar was darkly lit, which allowed the backlit shelving to show off the various liquors and liqueurs lined up like soldiers behind the bar. Black wainscotting edged the parameter along with a handful of vintage leather sofas, giving the bar a speakeasy vibe.
Olivia and Maddy found an empty booth in the corner and took turns buying rounds for the next several hours. Despite her immediate decision to switch to Coors Light and water out of self-preservation, Olivia’s intoxication level matched the energy of the bar as more and more folks streamed in.
Eventually, they transitioned from catching each other up on their life stories to Maddy pointing out various people and telling Olivia everything a Greshamite should know. Who owned which business. Who had slept with whom. Who was married or divorced to or from whom. Throughout their conversation, former classmates had stopped by their booth to say hello to Maddy and reconnect with Olivia.
“How do you keep track of all this and remember everyone's name?” Olivia asked, astonished.
“Well, I used to bartend here in the summers during college and for a few months while I was looking for a job. People don’t realize it, but bartenders see everything . And I think when people drink, they forget bartenders are sober. They treat the bar like drunk therapy. ”
Olivia laughed hard at this, thinking back to one of her first conversations with Aiden about drowning sorrows in beer.
“What?” Maddy asked.
“Nothing, it just reminded me of a conversation I had with Aiden.”
Olivia’s face fell because she wanted to tell Aiden about how this confirmed their theory.
Maddie tucked her chin in. “Girl, I hate to say it, but you’re still into him.”
Olivia groaned. Maddy was right.
Needing a moment, Olivia excused herself to pee. She checked her phone. It was almost midnight. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been out this late. In the bathroom mirror, she saw droopy, drunk eyes, which made her laugh. Straightening her shoulders, she resolved not to let thoughts of Aiden ruin the lovely time she was having with Maddy.
Back at their table, Maddy was typing something on her phone. Two new beer bottles sat on their table. Maddy looked up and smiled.
“Oh boy,” Olivia said. “This has to be my last beer.”
“I just want to make Mama Olsen proud. We'll call her to come pick us up after this.”
The words had barely left Maddy’s mouth when a particularly loud and over-dressed group of attractive individuals breezed through the door.
Olivia immediately spotted Aiden. He must have felt her gaze because his eyes locked on hers. His smile faltered momentarily, but he pulled it back onto his face. He gave Olivia a brief wave and turned back to his group .
Ethan was next to make eye contact with Olivia. Grinning, Ethan elbowed the man and woman next to him and pointed in Olivia’s direction. There was no question the people standing next to Ethan were his siblings, Nathan and Lauren. The family resemblance was uncanny. Olivia continued to watch the group, trying to read their thoughts. Ethan shouted something into Nathan’s ear, then he turned, smiled broadly, and waved. Olivia nodded in acknowledgment before swiveling back to Maddy, groaning with self-pity.
Olivia giggled despite herself. “Fuck my life, I'm moving back to Seattle.” Laughing harder, she said, “Just drink fast so we can leave.”
“Okay, okay.” Maddy complied. They were now chugging their beers between giggles, which was somehow the most hilarious thing of all.
Then she heard it—the opening vocals of NSYNC's “I Want You Back.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Olivia watched a mob of white shirts, black dress pants, and one burgundy dress coming their way. Ethan and Lauren were frog-marching Aiden forward until he was standing next to her…and the group was singing…to Olivia. Her brain felt like it wasn't processing the action in real-time.
Aiden, who had been pushed to the front, succumbed to the pressure. He knelt in front of Olivia, his hands outstretched, and belted out the lyrics, “So tell me what to do now, cause I, I, I, I want you back.”
Olivia covered her face in horror. She peeked out between her fingers, wanting to see but unable to experience the full intensity of the moment .
All of Aiden’s siblings began dancing and singing along with him.
Olivia’s mouth fell open in shock. She was simultaneously delighted and mortified. It wasn’t long until the entire bar had turned to watch. Many of the patrons sang along or whooped encouragement.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Maddy pull out her phone and point it in their direction. How dare she! Olivia shook her head desperately at Maddy, who reluctantly put down her phone. Tears of mirth streamed down Maddy’s round cheeks. What a traitor .
Olivia laid her head down on the table against her forearms and succumbed to her own hysterical laughter.
When the song finally ended, Aiden gave Olivia a bashful grin and said, “Sorry, Olivia, I lost a bet. I promise we won’t bug you again.”
Behind him, his finely dressed backup singers high-fived each other, looking proud of their performance. Aiden glanced over his shoulder and shook his head. He stood up and pushed his siblings toward the other side of the bar.
“Well, I think two things are clear,” Maddy said between fits of giggling. “Ellen's wedding was a good time, and that man is not interested in being just friends.”
“I'm way too drunk for this.” Olivia was stunned. “Let's go call my mom.”
They made their way through the crowded, noisy bar. People clapped for Olivia and yelled, “Give him another chance!” Others offered less encouraging things like, “Marry me instead!”
Olivia was a good sport, but she was thankful when the doors closed behind her, muffling the din .
The quiet of the night immediately sobered her. “Oh god, I think I'm gonna be sick.”
She ran to a garbage can next to the bar’s entrance. The smell of cigarette butts was the last straw, and any remaining shreds of dignity escaped with every heave. When she came up for air, Maddy pulled a bottle of water from her purse, handed it to Olivia, and placed a steadying hand on her back.
“Thank you.”
Olivia sipped the water as they waited in silence. Ten minutes later, Olivia’s mom pulled up as promised and rolled down her car window.
“Your You-Ber is here,” her mom called through the open window.”
Maddy and Olivia giggled as they literally crawled into the back seat.
“Sorry, Mom, I'm so drunk, and Aiden sang to me, and I think I have to take over the farm.” Words. So many words were coming out of Olivia’s mouth.
“Okay, sweetie, we'll talk about it in the morning. Why don't you just close your eyes for a minute.”