10.10.08

a long way to go

When he got to Izzy's, he walked right in. The lights were on. So was the TV.

Nothing much had changed. The place was a mess. Not a clean dish in the house. The tabby cat, Ginger was on the dining table licking off egg on a dry plate. That was nothing unusual.

Of course, he knew it was his fault that the place looked so distressed. Usually, he managed to have the dishes washed, the laundry done.

"Hullo," Oliver walked about eventually listening to his own voice. Izzy wasn't here. Just Ginger who was giving him a hearty yowl that she hadn't been fed.

"Sorry, Gin." He got the cat some water and put some baby food meat in her bowl. It was all she'd eat.

"Just like her, isn't it?" Oliver talked to the cat. "What's she done this time?"

Oliver got out his cell then and called Nelson.

"Is Izzy with you?"

"Izzy?" It sounded as if he'd just awoke from a nap. "No, I haven't seen her in a while. And we only went to that club maybe twice."

"OK," Oliver felt a pang of guilt slide through him. "If she calls you or you see her out, let me know, will you?"

Just then the house phone rang. He answered it, wondering if she was calling home. It was his mother.

"Well, finally." She sighed with relief.

"Sorry, I haven't called sooner. I meant too. Its just-"

"I've been calling for days now," she told him.

"Days?" Oliver winced.

"What have you two been doing?"

"Uh, working," Oliver almost told the truth. "I spent the weekend with a friend, that's all."

"Izzy hasn't been answering the phone. "

"She does that, sometimes."

"I know. I just thought she might speak to me for a change." Oliver could hear the crack in his mother's voice.

"Its all right. She's just fine, Mom. Just fine."

"Are you all right?"

"Never better."

"And have you been painting, any?"

"Not since I did the bathroom."

"Is it a rain forest?"

"Why of course," he grinned.

"Promise me, you'll paint me something for Christmas."

"You haven't told me what you wanted," Oliver couldn't help but smile.

"Something beautiful," she told him.

"But you're so hard to please," Oliver teased.

"You know, I love anything you give me."

They talked a bit more about the weather and other mundane things. But before he could let her go, Oliver couldn't help but tell her, "I'm in love."

"Are you really sure you're ready for something that big?"

"Pretty sure, Mom."

"Tell your sister to call me."

"I will." And as always they told each other that they wished the other was here and of course how much they loved each other.

Of course, he didn't tell her that Izzy was gone. She could be at the grocery store or a cross country trip. It was hard to say.

Nothing was actually gone. Other than her purse.

Just then his cell rang. He didn't recognize the number, but he took the call.

"Oliver!" It was Izzy.

"What happened?"

"Oliver!"

She was painful to listen too.

"Where are you!"

"IT DOESN"T MATTER, OLIVER!"

"I'm here at the house and I don't know where you are?"

"I'm pregnant."

He barely managed to understand her crying words.

"Izzy, please, we've been through this before. Its not possible. You can't be." He sighed. When would she ever stop believing this?

"ITS COMING!" She sounded in pain.

"What is coming?"

"The baby!"

"OK, you tell me where you are and I'll come get you and the baby." It was usually a good idea to go with what ever she said or it was hell to pay. His luck she was at Wal-mart having a fit.

She kept crying.

"IS ANYONE WITH YOU?" He shouted back.

"THE BABY!" She screamed.

"OK, so the baby is with you and are you at some-body's house, the hospital, maybe a bathroom?Please, just tell me where are you?" There was a silence then.

Nothing.

Oliver felt himself shaking then. Just a little tremor. He'd shook more. More than this over her rages.

He just wasn't going to let this get to him. She was fine. She was just a little crazy. Why did she want a baby? Why did she have to be such a drama queen. Always had been. Even when she was little. She'd won awards back in school for her dramatics. Of course, she was a chunky girl and they told her if she was ever going to do real theater work she needed to drop a few pounds. Then she did and she was a waif of a shadow. Their mother had learned no one told her she needed to lose anything. Her weight would go up and down. Different medications. Different drugs.

He hoped there was no baby. Especially, her baby. If there was one, it might not even be able to breathe on its own. No, he didn't believe there could be a baby. It was just a story in her head that she just kept wanting. Why, he didn't know.

He picked up Ginger then. It was the least he could do. He hoped Bex wouldn't mind if he brought her home.

5 comments:

Cate said...

Oh, no. Izzy seems a mess.
Oh, no. Oliver's mum still doesn't know he lives at Bex's now. Neither does Izzy, does she?
Oh, no. I'm really intrigued about that baby. If Izzy made that up, she's either completely insane or a real drama queen.

Anonymous said...

Wow.......This is a good post!!!

Unfortunatly I'm a little behind, I haven't had a chance to read this in a while so I have to go back a couple posts........


Krosemarie

Anonymous said...

Hi Cait! Thanks for droppin by and leaving a comment at my blog.

Sorry to hear that your not feeling well too. Have a great weekend, well, I'll try if I can have that one

I'll link you

Isabella said...

new blog. comment it, follow it, devour it. end of story.

Yesha said...

wow. lot of things really going on when he's "gone". i hope it's only one of izzy's "drama". wonder what the baby she's talking about. ollie's mom sounds so sweet.