Take Me Higher

Chapter Seventeen - Olivia

I round the corner into my dad's office and as soon as I open it, I see nothing but beige carpet and bare white walls. What the hell? The upstairs room next to the bathroom has been his office since I was a kid?

Oh no, I hope they didn't remodel my room in the basement as his office. I remember they joked about that a while back, but I didn't think they were serious.

I jog back down the steps and find Reggie helping my mom with Melissa in the living room.

"Mom, what happened to dad's office?" I ask, plopping down on the couch next to Reggie. "And why isn't he here? It's Sunday, he's not working is he?"

My mom looks at me, running her hands through her short curly hair, as if she's nervous about something. "Um," she clears her throat. "I think we should talk, Olivia."

"Okay," I shrug, laughing nervously because she's acting so weird. "Talk." The last time my mom came at me like this, it was to reveal that she was sick again. I can already feel the tears piercing my eyes, something in my gut tells me that's exactly what's going on. I can't watch her deteriorate like Melissa.

"We weren't planning on bringing it up anytime soon," she pauses, looking away. "But, your father and I are separated and we're in the process of getting a divorce."

I blink at least twenty times before I'm truly comprehending what it is that she just said. Divorce? My parents are getting divorced? But... they're happy. Happy people don't get divorced. They've never so much as fought while I was growing up. An argument about bills and stress from medical related things, but nothing worthy of leading to... divorce.

Feeling something touching me, I look at my knee and see Reggie's hand. It's like I'm watching everything in slow motion. I see mouths moving, but my hearing is clouded and nothing makes sense.

"Where's dad?" I finally ask.

"He's just across town, living with his girlfriend, Katherine," My mom answers, wiping her eyes. Something tells me that it's not emotions from the lost marriage between them, but my reaction to this.

"W-when did this happen? Who—How? You two are happy, I don't understand. You don't love each other? I..." I trail off, holding back tears.

My mother walks closer and seat on the other side of me. "Oh, sweetie, of course we love each other. It's just... your father and I grew apart over the years and we both wanted a fresh start. I'll always have a special place in my heart for him, we just don't want to be together anymore," she explains.

To her, this makes perfect sense. I'm so completely lost. How do you love someone, but not want to be with them? Better yet, how do two people love each other and not want to be together?

"How long?"

"We became legally separated last January, he spent time with Katherine in the city until you left for school and then they moved in together. That's where he was when he was putting more hours in at the office."

Pardon my language, but what in the actual fuck? What a fucking cliche. I'm physically disgusted right now. "And you're okay with that? He's already seeing somebody else?"

"You'd like her, she's really great and your father is so happ—"

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I stand up, looking at her. I don't miss the grin that Reggie is trying to hide behind the hand that is covering his mouth. I'm sure my outburst amuses him because they don't happen often and I've never been the type to speak to my parents like this.

"Olivia—"

"When were you planning to tell me? When I finished school? You were just going to hide this from me? What, and play house whenever I'm home? This is ridiculous," I screech.