On the plus side, if I threw myself into fixing the video and adding a new one about today’s sightseeing, then I wouldn’t have to think about being alone or alienating my friends or going to the meeting I had with my lawyer on Tuesday.
I rolled my shoulders back and got to work. I could only hope all this effort would be enough.
Chapter 29
Between a late night of editing and all the usual air travel shenanigans, I was exhausted by the time I drove the hour home from the Atlanta airport on Monday afternoon. My reward was a home empty except for an irritated cat.
And the odor of rotten potatoes.
“Well, hello to you, too,” I said when Lucky yowled in indignation. “Where’s Grandma?”
Lucky slow-blinked her one eye as if to say,First of all, she’s not my grandmother. Second of all, I wouldn’t tell you if I knew.
A quick search of the house produced a note on the kitchen table:
Vivian,
I had to run back to Florida for the weekend to meet with my lawyer and pick up some things. I’ll be back Monday night at the latest. I left Suja in charge of the cat.
Mom
P.S. I left you a voicemail, but you must’ve been busy when I called.
Okay, then.
I checked my phone. One message from Mom that I’d somehow missed, but nothing new from Abi or Rachel. The remaining voicemail was from my lawyer’s secretary reminding me about tomorrow afternoon’s appointment. Lord, I hoped I wasn’t paying extra for these reminders.
A quick inspection of the house showed that Mitch had found the potatoes and simply put them in the kitchen trash. Oh, and he’d trailed their noxious juice across the living room and into the kitchen.
Apparently, Mom had taken off for Florida in such a hurry that she didn’t think to take out the trash. Or Mitch had done his dirty work after she’d left.
I suppose it was fair that I would have to clean up the mess. At least it was my own mess this time.
Since I irrationally felt alone, I didn’t even mind when Lucky rubbed around me the whole time I was cleaning. Finally I double-bagged the trash and took it outside before pulling up all the blinds and opening all the windows.
Maybe Mom was onto something with her note. Now that I was home, I couldn’t imagine speaking to Parker face-to-face. I’d just have to put everything into a note.
Dear Parker,
I’m so sorry about everything that happened. I didn’t mean to say your name to Alavita, and I certainly wouldn’t have put you in any of my videos if I’d thought people would invade your privacy. Also ... I miss your friendship. I know this snow globe isn’t much, but I wanted you to know I was thinking of you.
Viv
P.S. It’s probably the closest you’re going to get to snow this winter.
Ah, nothing said “I’m sorry” like a cheap souvenir. I would’ve talked myself out of giving it to him, but I had the eyeshadow for Cassidy. Something told me he’d find the snow globe amusing.
Next, I scrawled a quick note to Cassidy:
Cassidy,
I got this eyeshadow palette and thought of you. I hope you like it. I’m sorry your Instagram got wild and that your dad got unwanted attention. I think you’re a cool kid.
Vivian
Before I could talk myself out of it, I crossed the yard to my neighbor’s house, and then I left their gifts on the porch before ringing the doorbell and running away like a loon.
Why?
