Carpe Aestatem (original)

Chapter 49

Olivia

Towards the end of our flight, I was looking out the window, Jenna holding my hand and Bojan's at the same time. Bojan was by the window, Jenna in the middle and I was on the aisle seat, although I had to deal with the snack cart in the aisle (A/N: me on my way back from Israel). We were so close to Dublin that I could taste it. The smell of the clovers, the streets filled with history and music, and The Workman's Club and Whelan's anxiously greeting us from afar. And Wild Youth. "Do we think they lost any luggage?" I asked.

"We'll have to wait and see, Olivia." Bojan said as we were encountering a little bit of turbulence.

I held on tight to the armrest as the plane went a little bumpy. Jan and Nace were across the aisle with Avery, and Sam was right behind me with Jure and Kris with her. I could actually feel Dublin as we were descending towards the airport. I couldn't wait. Dad went to Dublin once for a conference before he started his own company when I was nine or ten. I don't know if Mom went before.

When Mom switched from The Tennessean Local News section to the International Music and Culture section, she was so happy she could finally experience non-American music, the music she grew up with with being a mix of Slovenian and American. Babi and Dede were both really proud of her. She was so excited to go to Rotterdam for her first Eurovision ever, then to Turin last year and Liverpool last month. She loves being a journalist.

We landed in Dublin. "I can't believe we're in Dublin now!" I exclaimed.

"I know right! Best four days of our lives, here we come!" Jenna added.

I took a selfie of me and sent it to my mom.

Olivia:
[attached image]

Olivia:
I'M IN DUBLIN NOW!!! ☘️🍀🇮🇪

Mom:
Are you meeting Wild Youth today?

Olivia:
Tomorrow night. Are you planning to interview them soon?

Mom:
Elena and I interviewed them last week. They're really great guys. You're going to like them.

Olivia:
Thanks Mom. Tell Dad and Lola I said hi.

Mom:
I will. 😘

"The first thing Mom asked me when I told her that we're in Dublin now, she asked if we're meeting Wild Youth tonight. I told her we're meeting them tomorrow. He funny thing is, she and Elena just interviewed them for the podcast I was just on."

Jenna laughed. "Is it out yet?"

"I think it got published yesterday. It's called 'Olivia Moore Talks Tour Life, Playing the Grand Ole Opry, Her Favorite Joker Out Song and More'. That's what my mom said."

"Are you worried that your mom mentioned you in the podcast?"

"Kind of. What if Cal or Conor spot us BEFORE the gig tomorrow? And they recognize that I look like my mom?"

"Olivia, breathe." Bojan said as we were eating to get off the plane. "I'm certain they're not going to recognize you."

"As long as I don't introduce myself as the daughter of a journalist. Or if I say my last name, they'll know."

"Best to tell them right out of the gate, Liv." Jenna said, grabbing her guitar and duffle as we were making our way off the plane.

As I stepped off the staircase, I breathed in the smell of Dublin and jet fuel. We got shuttled over to immigration, which went really smoothly. And we were at the baggage claim. The buzzer went off, and the boys' bags went out okay, except for Bojan's and Kris's. "Is that it?" Jan asked when the baggage belt stopped.

"We're missing Kris and Bojan's luggage! What are we going to do?" Jenna panicked.

I squeezed Jenna tightly. "It's going to be okay, Jenna. It's going to be okay." I said.

"Thanks, Liv." She replied.

"Bad news: Kris's suitcase had the merch." Sam said. "If we don't have the merch by tomorrow night, what are we going to do? Rain check all the merch? We're going to have so many unhappy fans!"

"We'll figure something out." Jure said.

Bojan was on the phone with the airline about the luggage. "Hello? This is Bojan Cvjetićanin on your flight from Ljubljana to Dublin today, and we seem to have lost two pieces of our luggage...uh huh...okay, one of them was a small pink TravelPro spinner, the other...gray Away suitcase...thank you...uh huh...both are pretty urgent...thank you, buh-bye."

"Well?" Avery asked.

"They're going to look for them. I told them the hotel we're staying at so they can deliver them to us."

"So what now?" I asked.

"Wanna go on a shopping spree after we check in at the hotel?" Jure asked.

"Can't make it a destination without souvenir shopping!" I squealed.

"Off we go!" Jan said as our van arrived.