Stargirl of the Edge

Ch 58 - Shock and Emptiness

Plot summary: The wait for news about Olivia's father continues. Olivia has been spellbound by the Olympic Games. They have taken up all her attention, during every waking hour. They have provided a welcome distraction. The previous night Olivia and her mum sat and watched the Closing Ceremony. Now it's the morning after.

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Nothing could have prepared Olivia for the shock and emptiness that would hit her on the morning of Monday the thirteenth of August, the day after the Olympic Games finished. Without thinking she rushed downstairs to switch on the TV, but instead of the excitement, the cheering and the upbeat feeling, it was back to the usual daytime programmes. She immediately switched off, went back to her room and threw herself on the bed. Now it was back to reality. Now it was back to ‘the situation’. Stress, uncertainty, constant sadness.

Outside it was cloudy and a little windy. The branches swayed gently in the wind but far from a comforting feeling, each gust seemed to whisper a message she didn’t want to hear: 

“Your dad’s gone missing. You don’t know if he’s alive. He’s gone forever. You’ll never see him.” 

She buried her head under the pillow, trying to make the voice go away but it didn’t help, so she went downstairs again to Jessie’s basket and gently stroked her golden fur. That seemed to help. She didn’t know about all the stress, the mayhem and the frustration that was going on around her. She only appreciated love and kindness and returned it by gazing into Olivia’s eyes and licking her hand.

Liz walked through the kitchen door, wearing jeans, Wellington boots and her pink jacket. 

“Ah Livvy,” she said, in that high, comforting voice. “Just been out in the garden doing a bit of pruning. Those weeds are really growing out of control, they needed cutting back…”

She looked at Olivia, who continued to stroke Jessie’s back.

“Livvy are you okay, darling?”

She brushed her hair to one side, and glanced up, saying nothing, almost bursting into tears. Liz could sense her pain.

“Oh, Livvy darling, I know it’s difficult, but we’ve just got to keep our spirits up.”

Livvy remained silent, continuing to stroke Jessie.

Liz got up and immediately looked in the cupboard for something for Olivia to eat.

She served up an English breakfast of fried eggs, sausages, bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms and toast. Olivia sat at the table but as usual, she didn’t eat very much of it. On some days she felt so stressed and worried she would lose her appetite completely. 

Liz ate the English breakfast, and looked at Livvy with big, concerned eyes.

“Oh Livvy, you were getting such a lovely figure, now you’re so thin.” 

It was true, her arms were almost skin and bone, her clothes hung loosely on her.

“Oh darling, you need to eat more! You need to do something to try and take it all off your mind.”

“Mum,” said Olivia timidly, “can we go out for a drive somewhere.”

“I’m sorry darling, but now the Jag has broken down as well. There’s something wrong with the battery. I could have asked Hippy Dave to look at it but he’s away.”

“What about the jeep?”

“The starter motor has gone completely.”

“But why can’t we take it to the garage to be repaired.”