All About You

Chapter Twenty Eight

Present

"Oliver, where were you all day yesterday?" I ask, rubbing my sweaty hands over my black dress.

"I stayed with a mate. Don't worry, I didn't do anything stupid. I just needed some time to think."

I walk up to him and look at his face. He's doing everything he can to hide his emotions, like during all those times I hurt him, bullied him, and ruined him.

"I was worried. I thought you wanted me to be there... when you talked to your mother?"

"Yeah, I did, but then I thought I had to stop being weak and just talk to her alone."

"Did it work? I mean, she told me you managed to talk, but then you left," I ask. All of a sudden, Oliver seems so distant and I can't break through to him. It's like there is an invisible wall between us.

He exhales, not looking at me. "She blamed her hate on her mental problems and my father." He sighs. "I think it's all bullshit. She wasn't being completely honest with me. She couldn't hate me just because of her illness."

I look at him, startled, seeing the pain in his eyes is still raw and real.

"At least you made some small progress," I say and give him a smile. "But I don't think we should leave yet, not until you talk more."

"No, we're going. I can't be here knowing what you did with Bryan after his death. God, India. I thought you hated that guy."

I want to start shouting that it's not like that. Oliver doesn't understand. He's stepping into dangerous territory. We promised we wouldn't talk about the past. Now I feel like I have to break that promise and just go ahead and tell him the whole truth. Then my internal voice breaks through, telling me Oliver isn't ready. He's still angry with his mother and overwhelmed with his father's death.

"It just happened, all right? It's the past—remember, the forbidden subject," I tell him, leaning over to kiss him.

He stares at me for several more moments like he wants to know what I'm thinking. My heart is slowly breaking into pieces.

"You're right. Come on, let's get out of here."

"But what about—"

"Seriously, India, a few days is my limit. There will be another time when I'll try again with my mother. At the moment, I don't think I can take this."

"Are you going to tell her you're leaving? At least she deserves that."

"I already did yesterday. What about your mother?"

"She should be fine. It hasn't been long anyway, you know, since Christmas break," I explain, feeling I shouldn't let him leave yet. There is still so much we have to talk about. Oliver hasn't finished straightening up his affairs here, but I know I have to give him time.

Present

Next day, I say my good-bye to Mum and Josephine, and we leave Gargle. On the way back, Dora tells us that Bryan ended up with a couple bruises and scratches. She also heard that his mother went ballistic when she heard he was involved in a bar fight. Bryan's parents were always vigilant about their reputation, but I don't believe Oliver has escaped the consequences of that fight. Bryan might seek payback at the most unexpected moment.

I tried to talk to Oliver about this yesterday, but as usual, he just waved his hand and told me not to worry about it. He doesn't care about his reputation in Gargle.

"So, do you think Oliver's going to be all right? You know, with the whole fight?" asks Dora once we walk back to our apartment.

Oliver and Jacob have their rugby practise, so they were in a hurry to the stadium. He knows he can't play at least for another four weeks, but he's happy to sit on the bench and watch what's happening on the field.