Closure

They got off the city bus, Marti continued walking up a residential road that didn't have any sidewalks. Olivia followed not even bothering asking Marti where they were going. She was getting tired of his short, half-ass answers and decided to let just be a surprise. Marti took Olivia's hand and reassuringly said, "We're almost there" the houses began to be farther and farther apart as they went a long the road. The road started to curve as it went up a hill. Olivia began getting tired this better be one hell of a surprise she inwardly complained "We're here" Marti said as they finished rounding the corner, Olivia awed at the house in front of front of them. It was pretty big; bigger than Nason's old house. They walked up the cobble stone driveway and the three steps up to the porch. Marti entered without knocking. Olivia curiously followed, Marti didn't even bother announcing his presence. He went directly in the kitchen.

"Hi mom" Marti walked up to an older woman that appeared in her forties with blonde grey striked hair. He kissed her on the cheek.

"Martin Daniel Rubels Jr! You are late late, late"

"I know" Marti flashed Olivia a blaming glance "Sorry ma. I brought a friend" Marti's mother looked over his shoulder "Mom this is Olivia. Oli, meet my mother"

"Nice to meet you Olivia. Oh what a beautiful girl" Mrs. Rubels marveled then gave Marti an approving nod "Come closer darling so I can get a better look at cha" Olivia took a few steps closer before Mrs. Rubels grabbed her wrist and twirled her around "Oh you're skinny little thing aren't you? Well, I shall fix that. Marti can you go fetch some eggs?"

"Yes ma'am" Marti nodded then left the kitchen leaving Olivia with his mother"I think I'll go with Marti" Olivia excused herself and followed Marti "Wait for me" she caught up with him "So this is your big surprise?"

"No, not really. Well, I guess you can say this part of it. I have a list of things to surprise you with" Marti explained opening the back door.

"Whoa, this...this is awesome" Olivia gazed at the enormous back yard. It reminded her of the land she lived with her parents when they were alive "How many acres is back here?" she asked following Marti down the hill.

"Too many" Marti took out a cigarette and lit it

"Wow, so much for the cardio" Olivia scoffed shaking her head at Marti.

"Hey I don't even smoke that much anymore"

"Is that a chicken coop?" Marti nodded he took the basket that was hanging on the tiny chicken shack and loaded it with eggs
"I hope you're hungry" Marti said in warning tone as they walked back, Olivia was going to answer until she saw something in her peripheral

"Oh my god, are those horses!?"

"No, they're elephants"

"Can I see them?"

"After breakfast" Marti finished off his cigarette then discarded it before reentering the house.

Marti was right to have warn Olivia about breakfast. Mrs. Rubels wasn't kidding when she said she'd fix Olivia's skinniness. She sat a plate of pancakes with a side of eggs and crispy bacon, the best kind. Mrs. Rubels placed an identical plate in front of Marti then left. Olivia dug in, not realizing how hungry she really was. Probably from running all over town and walking up and down hills. She devoured the pancakes, which were perfect, and eggs. She left the bacon untouched. It looked good but she knew she couldn't have it.
"Marti, would you like my bacon?"

"Why aren't you eating it?"

"Remember that stomach surgery I told you about?" Marti nodded taking Olivia's bacon of her plate "Well after that the doctor put me on a soft diet so I can't eat a lot of things"

"Oh, I'm sorry that must suck" Marti apologized. Olivia shrugged, Marti got the plates and put them in the sink, Mrs. Rubels came in the kitchen.
"Thank you, the breakfast was amazing Mrs. Rubels"

"Please call me Marsha"

"Is there any chores you need done mom?"

"I was accounting on you asking that" Mrs Rubels pulled out a piece of notebook paper from her pocket "Just those things on the list. I'm going to some markets. I'll be back this afternoon"

"Wait a minute where's Marci?"

"Oh shes staying at friends house. See y'all soon" Mrs Rubels gave Marti a kiss and Olivia a hug then leaving.

"What's first on the list?" Olivia asked sitting on the kitchen counter top. Marti was fiddling with the small radio that was on the counter. Some old Misfits tunes filled the room

"Dishes" Marti sighed
"I'll wash, you rinse and dry?" Olivia offered together they tackled Mrs.. Rubels chore list. It consisted of assorted domestic jobs like feeding Pumpkin, whom was a fat orange stripped cat reminded Olivia of Garfield.

"Dusting?" Olivia asked looking at what was next Marti handed her a multi-colored feather duster. She coughed, taking it.

"Polish wood furnisher" Marti read off the list
“This house is huge!” Olivia stated dripping Murphy Oil on a wood end table. Just when she thought she was finish with one task Marti would open another door or section of his parents house.

“This small thing? No way”

“Like how many rooms is in this place?”

“…seven, maybe” Marti shrugged

"Clean the chicken coop?" Olivia frowned as she read it.

"It's not that bad" Marti defended walking outside, still sporting an apron. Olivia kept on the thick rubber gloves she used when polishing the wood.
"Ready for the last thing on the list?" Marti asked after he finish the dirty chicken work.

"Yes!"

"Change the hay in the horse stalls" he said, Olivia's heart sank. She didn't mind doing household cleaning. In fact she kind of enjoyed it, especially with Marti, but picking up horses shit was just something she wasn't fawned of. "Don't worry we only have two" Marti threw Olivia a pitch fork.
"So do you do this often?" Olivia asked Marti who was in the shall over. They both were shoveling hay out and on to a wheel barrel.

"What clean horse stalls?"

"No, do all these chores for your mom?"

"Sometimes, I mean I'm on tour for most of the year and my parents do need more help around here since they're getting older. My sister isn't going stick around much later either"

"Oh that's so nice of you"

"I guess. When I'm not touring I visit them a few days a week just to help with something's. Plus, my moms breakfasts is worth it"

"True that" Olivia agreed she turned around to put more dirty hay in the wheel barrel Marti was standing behind her.

"You gotta work faster than that" he lit another cigarette and leaned against the wall.

"Aren’t you gonna help me?" Olivia asked Marti shook his head.

"I did my stall and already put fresh hay in" he let the smoke fall out his mouth

"You shouldn't be smoking in here Marti. There's hay all over the place. This can catch on fire" Olivia warned, Marti laughed "I'm serious! Don't you remember!?" Marti remembered alright, he suddenly realized one of Olivia's deepest fears. fire. Who wouldn't be if your entire house burned down, along with their parents. He quickly put out the cigarette and picked up the pitch fork
"I'm sorry Olivia" Marti apologized as he started to help her.

"It's fine" Olivia kept her back turned to Marti but he could still hear the emotion in her voice.
"Oli?" he dropped the pitch fork and walked over to her. He put his arms around her waist. He could feel her crying in his arms.

"I'm being stupid I know" Olivia pulled away wiping her eyes and face. The sweat of being in the stable, working and the merciless Florida sun mixed with her tears. She kept on shoveling "Sorry" she said and continued the work.

"Do you want to see the horses now?" Marti asked

"Shouldn't we finish this first?"

"Nah, I'll finish it up later come on" Marti led her to a circle gated area where horses were roaming.

"They're beautiful" Olivia was taken away, one that was dark brown with black mane and tail came right up too her.

"This is Mystery" Marti rubbed the horse "This one's actually is my little sisters horse" he explained

"I used to have horse when I lived with my parents before..." Olivia began to look sad again
"Want to ride her?"

"No" she sighed, "come on, let's finish the stall" Olivia walked out of the gate and back to the stable.


When Olivia and Marti got back inside the house it was one in the afternoon. Mrs. Rubels had yet to return, and they reeked from sweating, running and doing chores all morning. Marti went into his little sister’s room and stole a dress for Olivia to wear. She took a shower upstairs, Marti took the shower downstairs.
A shower was just what Olivia needed she scrubbed away the sweat, and dirt that had accumulated on her skin. She put on the dress Marti gave her. It was white floral cotton. Not even close to Olivia's style. There wasn't a single blue flower on hideous print of the simple dress. She barefooted through the house and downstairs were Marti was relaxing on the couch in a fresh pair of black pants and shirt.

"Hey Oli are you hungry?"

"Um, I suppose I could use some lunch”

"Lets see..." Marti scanned the fridge "We got some leftovers, lunch meat"

"I can't eat meat"

"Oh yeah, your diet. I have an idea! You like fish?" Olivia nodded. Marti went to the freezer and pulled out a paper bag looked inside "Oh good he already flayed it" Marti put a few pieces in the sink turning on warm water. Olivia watch curiously as Marti turned in her personal chef. Thirty minutes later Marti placed a plate in front of a dinning room table before pulling it out for her.

“You didn’t have to do all of this” Olivia sat down, Marti pushed her in and sat directly across from her

“I know. I wanted too do this for you” Marti smiled. Olivia looked down at the dish that he had prepared for her. Baked fish, with steamed vegetables “Well dig in tell me how you like it?” Olivia picked up her fork, taking a piece of fish in.

"This is really, really good!"

“Where is mom!?” a blonde teenaged girl with blue eyes and freckles asked coming in the dinning room ruining the atmosphere. She was wearing a dress similar to one Marti stole but this one had blue flowers on it, she had on brown leather boots as well.

“Out” Marti rolled his eyes, the girl returned the favor by doing so as well and leaving “Yeah glad to see you too, sis” he yelled back.

“I’m guessing that’s Marci?” Olivia assumed, Marti nodded. She felt something warm between her legs. First thought Marti second thought, she felt hair and warm breath. Screeching she pushed her chair back so fast that the rug underneath creased with folds making the chair tilt back sending her falling back. The bottom dress she wore was covering her face.

"Leviticus, die!" an unfamiliar male voice spoke in commanding voice. Olivia quickly tried to collect herself. A dog licked her face. "Out!" the same voice command, Olivia looked up to see the man that looked like the defination of a hunter.

"Did you just tell your dog to die!?"

"Its hebrew, young lady, meaning heel, or sit"

"Hebrew?" Olivia glanced over at Marti, he nodded and helped her up. "Any particular reason you command your dog in hebrew?"

"Any particular reason I have a stranger interrogating me in my own house, eating fish I caught yesterday?"

"And wearing my clothes" Mari, whom came from her room investigating the screaming, added.

"Dad? Hi"

"Afternoon, Marti" Mr. Rubels crossed his arms.

"This is my friend-"

"Olivia. Yeah I know. Your mother already told me" he said dismissively and left with out a word. Mari rolled her blue eyes once more following behind her dad. There was a silence for a few minutes.

"Well, you met all my family. I know they aren't the most faltering. But hey its family"

"They're wonderful" Olivia said with more sadness then reassurance. "I wish I had, well you know" she shrugged and continued to eat.

"Do you wanna get out of here?" Marti asked after Olivia was finished.

"And go where?"

"I want to say home but look at where we are. I would love to say our apartment but I'm not sure how you'd take that term" Marti smiled.

"Lets just go." Olivia smiled back. They headed towards the front door. Marti reached the doorknob but it moved from under his grasp

"Marti, Olivia" Mrs. Rubels nodded towards them with her arms full of paper bags. Marti helped his mom with the groceries "hope you guys are staying for dinner!"

"Um, mom? We were just about to leave"

"Nonsence. Stay for dinner"