Page 67 of The Hardest Hit

As if he hadn’t been included in the strife at the hospital. As if it weren’t his words coming out of Sofia’s mouth.

“I don’t like it either, Pops,” said Olivia honestly. She found herself walking into her kitchen. She opened the cupboard and got out the mixing bowl.

“Well, it’s hard being away from home like you are,” he said. “It puts stress on a relationship.”

“Yes,” agreed Olivia.

“And I know that job you moved for is pretty good, but I just can’t believe there weren’t equally good jobs here in Georgia.”

Olivia got out the flour and went to the fridge for the eggs and butter. “Well, Georgia isn’t really supporting science-based jobs right now,” she said. She wanted to add that this was partially because of the enormous amount of science skepticism and disbelief engendered by people like him, but didn’t.

Ralph Taggert got elected by playing into the fears and willful ignorance of his constituents. The worst was when someone would call him on it, he would say, “I support science education! Why, my granddaughter has a Ph.D. in Chemistry.” He couldn’t even get her degree right.

“Well, yes, but I’m sure there’s something. I think you should look for some jobs a little closer to home.”

“I like my job here,” said Olivia.

“You like your job or you like your Yankee boyfriend?” asked Ralph. Olivia froze. “Your sister said you had a boyfriend that you seemed pretty stuck on.”

She would kill Sofia. She would chop Sofia up into tiny pieces and put her in a blender and feed her to sharks.

“I have a boyfriend, and if I didn’t like him, I wouldn’t be dating him,” said Olivia.

“Well, sure, sure, but you have to see that staying up north for a man is a bad decision. You’re a bright girl, but you’ve always needed guidance and help when it comes to the big decisions in life. You always have your head in the clouds. You need someone to make sure the cows get fed, as the saying goes.”

Olivia found herself blinking back tears. He was right. She knew it. She was a stereotype of nerdom. She didn’t get half the subtext of what people said. She started thinking about equations and wandered off, leaving the water on in the sink. She fixated on the fake people in comic books because they were quantifiable and controllable. And she often needed someone to remind her that it was Tuesday.

She blinked and straightened up. She always knew when it was Tuesday these days.

“I don’t think that’s a saying.”

“Well, now,” laughed Ralph, “you know what I mean. I’m just saying that I worry about you, all alone up there in the big city with some Yankee who doesn’t know how to treat a lady. Sofia was saying, and I don’t like to be indelicate, that this boy has convinced you to take things maybe further than you should.”

Olivia slammed the sugar down onto the counter.

“I took things to exactly where I wanted to go,” said Olivia. “I’m an adult and fortunately my work insurance covers birth control because they believe responsible adults should be able to prevent unwanted pregnancies.”

“Now, now, Olivia Rose,” he chuckled, “don’t get testy. It’s just that I know you. You’re a good girl and I know how those big city fellas can turn a girl’s head. And what with you being not the most social girl in the world, I worry about you getting taken advantage of.”

“Thank you for your concern,” said Olivia tightly. “But, really, I’m fine.”

“You know,” he said, “Sofia and I aren’t the only ones who are worried about you. I saw Clark yesterday. Bumped into him at the club. He said he surely did miss you.”

Olivia took a deep breath and thought about hurling the phone across the room.

“Did he miss me? Or do you miss locking down his family’s donation to your campaign?”

“Olivia Rose!” he snapped. “You listen to me, you need to stop your whoring ways and get your ass back home. We’ve put up with this nonsense long enough. Your father is ill and your sister can’t manage everything on her own.”

“Did you call Tyler?”

“What?”

“Did you call Tyler and ask him to move home?” she asked.

“No, I didn’t. He’s setting up his career. It’s important for him to be out on his own right now.”

“You mean that he’s of no use to you, and he’s not a woman.”