“Oh, Norah, look at you,” Olivia said, free from my mom’s hug. She walked toward me and I met her halfway. “You’re all grown up and beautiful.” I didn’t feel much different, at least looks-wise. I still had my long wavy brown hair, my same burns-easily-in-the-sun white skin, my same average height and build.
“Hi,” I said, hugging her. “How was your trip?” I asked when really I wanted to yell,Where is Skyler?Because he definitely wasn’t in this room.
“We flew in last night and got our rental RV about an hour ago,” she said. I had forgotten how calm Olivia was. Where my mom was loud and animated, Olivia was slow and measured. “So far it’s been great. But now the real adventure begins.”
Ezra cleared his throat. “Where’s Skyler?”
I wanted to hug my brother for asking, but instead I stood very still so I wouldn’t miss the answer.
Olivia looked around the room as if realizing for the first time that he wasn’t here. “I…”
“He’s in the RV,” Paisley said. “On the phone.”
Olivia rolled her eyes toward my mom. “Not everyone thinks this is a dream vacation like we do, Miranda.”
Ezra raised his hand and when Mom shot him a look, he said, “Oh, we weren’t talking about me?”
Austin laughed.
“We will convert everyone by the end,” Mom said with a smile.
My heart seemed to drop to the floor. Skyler didn’t want to be here.